Kenya

Our work in Kisii and Nyamira, Kenya 

ISF has been active in Kisii and Nyamira Counties in southwestern Kenya since 2015, with offices in Kisii town and Nairobi. These counties were chosen due to high female genital mutilation (FGM) prevalence, limited development, and few international development actors.  

Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) 

Our work has helped women recognize different forms of violence and contributed to denormalizing VAWG. The focus is on enabling women to actively assert their rights and shape their environment. 

Safe space sessions in schools and communities, including peer-sharing and mentoring sessions, educate girls on FGM, sexual abuse, and harmful gender stereotypes while building awareness of referral pathways. Community forums led by women provide participatory learning through role plays, storytelling, and debates, encouraging sustainable solutions to prevent violence and strengthen reporting and support systems. 

Alternative Rite of Passage (ARP) camps provide non-violent paths to adulthood while teaching girls about FGM, reproductive health, and life skills. Parents and community members publicly commit to abandoning FGM. Male engagement is strengthened through training, men-only forums, and youth programs to promote positive masculinity and reduce violence. 

Intergenerational dialogues address harmful gender norms and traditions, fostering locally owned solutions and connecting community champions with authorities to integrate changes into local structures. We also work with local civil society, county authorities, and anti-VAWG networks to enhance policies, reporting, and referral systems. 

Promoting Women’s Livelihoods 

We support women’s economic empowerment through cooperatives, skills training, and business development. In Kisii, initiatives focus on turning banana crop waste into high-quality handicrafts, fertilizers, energy briquettes, and biogas, in partnership with local and Finnish companies. Women gain access to markets, business training, microfinance, and support to formalize their enterprises. 

The organization promotes climate-smart farming and water management, supporting women-led cooperatives in adaptation and mitigation efforts. Youth hubs foster entrepreneurship and innovation for young women and school dropouts, providing mentorship and incubation opportunities. 

Through dialogue and engagement, ISF encourages men to support women’s economic participation and decision-making, increasing their access to resources, community-based organizations, and cooperatives. These efforts strengthen women’s livelihoods, enhance resilience, and promote sustainable economic growth at the community level. 

Women's Rights Situation in Kenya

In Kenya, women's status is weaker than that of men. Women are expected to remain silent in public spaces, while men and boys dominate the conversation. Women often lack power and experience in making decisions related to property ownership.

• Female genital mutilation is still common in Kenya, including in our project areas of Kisii and Nyamira, despite being illegal. The practice continues because it is believed to guarantee a girl's marriageability and secure her future. In a society where women are economically dependent on their husbands, being rendered unmarriageable can be a disaster.
• Domestic violence is prevalent in Kenya, with 45% of Kenyan women aged 18-49 having experienced sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. The majority of perpetrators of violence are close to the victims.
• Impunity for violence is a significant problem, with only 5% of violence cases reaching the courts.
• There is a gender imbalance in wage employment, with twice as many men as women. Men and male descendants own the cultivated land and engage in wage labor, while women's roles involve unpaid domestic work and taking care of the family.
• Women who become farmers have less land available to them compared to men. They often lack basic entrepreneurial skills and access to markets. Due to a lack of education, women farmers struggle to access information on more efficient and climate-resilient farming practices or product processing technologies.
   
  As a result of these challenges, women farmers have low yields, significant annual crop variations, and their products do not meet the quality standards of larger buyers. Many women are left dreaming of independent livelihoods, making them economically dependent on men.

• Women have limited political decision-making power, which often leads to their underrepresentation in leadership positions. During political campaigns and elections in Kenya, female candidates face violence and often have to hire bodyguards to avoid sexual and other forms of violence.