The Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources has developed a Gender Mainstreaming Strategy and Action Plan (2014-2017) aimed at addressing gender gaps in environmental and natural resource management in Kenya. Key objectives include promoting equal participation of women and men in environmental decision-making, enhancing access to resources, and improving the capacity for gender-responsive policies. The strategy emphasizes the importance of collaboration among stakeholders and the need for financial mechanisms to support gender mainstreaming initiatives.

1. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
GENDER MAINSTREAMING:
STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN, 2014-2017
PRESENTATION TO WOMEN AND ENVIRONMENT
FORUM
Wednesday, 4th
March 2015
ICRAF HEADQUARTERS, NAIROBI.
By
Dr. Alice Kaudia
Environment Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources

2. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATIONOUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
1. Context: Rational for the Gender Strategy on Env & NR
2. Summary of Gender Gaps/Challenges
2. Purpose and Strategic Objectives of the Strategy & Action
Plan
3. Risk Analysis/Management
4. The role of Key Stakeholders: Examples of Interventions

3. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
CONTEXT:CONTEXT: RATIONALE FOR THE GENDER MAINSTREAMINGRATIONALE FOR THE GENDER MAINSTREAMING
STRATEGY FOR ENV & NRSTRATEGY FOR ENV & NR
1. Gender Equality - the imperative for achieving Vision 2030
and fulfillment of Constitutional requirements
2. Promoting Gender Equality is part of the Government’s
development Agenda permeating through all MDAs
3. The Strategy is in part of the commitment to the Africa
Women Ministers and Leaders for the Environment
(AFWMLE) formed in 2010 (A chapter of global Network of
Women Ministers and Leaders for the Environment -
NWMLE founded in 2002)
4. Overall objective of the NWMLE/AFWMLE is to advocate for
gender responsive policies, programmes and strategies from
global to national levels, including supporting key global
conventions.

4. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
CONTEXTCONTEXT: RATIONALE FOR THE GENDER: RATIONALE FOR THE GENDER
MAINSTREAMING STRATEGY FOR EV & NRMAINSTREAMING STRATEGY FOR EV & NR
4. The Gender Mainstreaming on Environment and Natural
Resources is in line with Africa Policy and Strategy on
Gender and the Environment (APSGE) - A framework to
implement the gender outcomes of the Rio+20 at country
level
5. It is also in line with commitments by African Ministerial
Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) to address gender
issues particularly with respect to climate change and
emerging environmental challenges

5. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
CONTEXTCONTEXT: RATIONALE FOR THE GENDER: RATIONALE FOR THE GENDER
MAINSTREAMING STRATEGY FOR EV & NRMAINSTREAMING STRATEGY FOR EV & NR
6. The Strategy responds to:
 MEW&NR National Environment Policy (2012), and
 The Second Medium Term Plan 2013-2017: in
particular
*Social Pillar targets: Gender, Youth & Vulnerable
Groups, Environment, Water, Sanitation, Population,
Urbanization and Housing; and
*Foundations: Land Reforms, National Values & Ethics, and
Ending Drought Emergencies).

6. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
1. Document Review:
International Frameworks, National legal and policy
documents, Vision 2030, Gender & Development Policy,
National Environment Policy, 2nd
MTP 2013-2017
2. Consultations/Interviews/Questionnaires:
Gap analysis and inputs into what is needed to be done and how:
Stakeholders
Government officials/Gender Focal points
County officials: CEC on Environment/Natural
Resources
UN Agencies
Donors, and CSOs.
3. Validation by stakeholders:
Government, Counties, CSOs, the Private Sector, and
Development Partners.

7. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
SUMMARY OF GENDER GAPS/ISSUESSUMMARY OF GENDER GAPS/ISSUES
 Gender mainstreaming in development in general and sector
specific programmes at national and devolved levels in
particular still lags behind, If not happening at all. (GENDER
EQUALITY NOT A PRIORITY)
 Not enough is being done towards gender mainstreaming in
environment and natural resources to make sure that
women and men equally participate and access resources and
benefits, thus actively contribute towards sustainable
development as equal partners.
 Women are rarely involved in negotiations for use and sharing
of natural resources, and in conflict resolutions. But bear the
largest burden when problems including violence and
insecurity occur.

8. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
SUMMARY OF GENDER GAPS/ISSUESSUMMARY OF GENDER GAPS/ISSUES
Currently the tree and forest cover is only slightly above 6 per
cent (FAO), far less than the required thresh-hold of 10%
required to support agriculture, energy, wildlife, rural livelihoods.
The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) reports
that between 2008 and 2011, drought slowed the country’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) by 2.8 per cent.The country lost Kshs
969 billion.
The livestock sector was the most affected with the largest
share of damages and losses at 72 per cent. Other sectors
affected were agriculture at 13 percent, water and sanitation at
9% and electricity generation at 3%.

9. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
SUMMARY OF GENDER GAPS/ISSUESSUMMARY OF GENDER GAPS/ISSUES
 In Kenya 54% of rural and 63% of urban women and girls are
estimated to live below the poverty line, and are more
vulnerable to effects of climate change.
 Women play an important role in agricultural production,
contributing up to 80% of all labor in food production and
50% in cash crop production while receiving only 7% of
agricultural extension information. But Women only hold
between 1-5% of land titles. And therefore have almost no
access to land of their own.
 Women typically receive only 10% of the credit awarded to
small holder farmers and only 1% of the total amount of
credit directed to agriculture .

10. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
SUMMARY OF GENDER GAPS/ISSUESSUMMARY OF GENDER GAPS/ISSUES
 Kenyan women work longer hours than men. In some rural
areas, water collection consumes up to 40% of a woman’s day,
averaging between 3 to 5.25 hours.
 A 10% increase in female family labor increases output by
2.4%, compared with only 1.5% for male family labor.
 8. Gender gaps in secondary education increase by
comparison to the primary level. For example in 2012, the
GER of boys was at 53.2% against 46.8% for girls. There are
wide disparities by regions and counties.

11. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
GENDER MAINSTREAMING STRATEGY ON ENVIRONMENTGENDER MAINSTREAMING STRATEGY ON ENVIRONMENT
AND NATURAL RESOURCESAND NATURAL RESOURCES
The purpose of the strategy is to:
i.To enhance gender mainstreaming and promote equal
participation of women and men, boys and girls in protecting the
environment and natural resources.
ii.To enhance decision making and equal access to and benefits
from natural resources and economic /development
programmes and projects at national and devolved levels.

12. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
Strategic Priority - Area 1Strategic Priority - Area 1
Enhance Capacities for Gender Mainstreaming and Women’s
empowerment in Environment, Land Management and
Exploitation of Natural Resources
3.4.1.1 Strategic Activities:
i.Conduct gender analysis and realign existing laws, policies and strategies/action plans to
effectively inform gender mainstreaming on environment and natural resources.
ii.Discuss with development partners to haveTechnical Assistance to support the
implementation of this Strategy and associated capacity building efforts.
iii.Undertake training and capacity needs assessments among gender focal points and
planners in line ministries, various authorities and in all counties.And develop appropriate
training and capacity strengthening programme.
iv.Develop and implement women parliamentarians'’- grassroots partnership initiate on
gender, environment and natural resources management

13. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
Strategic Priority - Area 2Strategic Priority - Area 2
Enhance and Sustain gender responsiveness in environmental
Conservation, disaster risk reduction, and poverty reduction
programmes / projects
3.4.2.1 Strategic Activities
i.Conduct public education/sensitization and training on the causal
linkages of gender, environment and poverty reduction at all levels
ii.Promote gender equality and mainstream environmental issues in
existing economic empowerment programmes (e.g. Women Enterprise
Fund,Youth Fund, & Uwezo Fund), through sensitization and training.
iii.Support innovative gender responsive projects for sustainable
development, land management and conflict resolutions at county
levels.
iv.Develop and implement environment-related disaster-risk reduction action programs with a focus on
women and children within a framework of the Integrated County Development Strategies

14. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
Strategic Priority - Area 3Strategic Priority - Area 3
Support and strengthen gender responsive policy research,
availability/use of sex/gender disaggregated data, and
monitoring and evaluation system that supports gender
mainstreaming in environment and natural resources.
3.4.3.1 Strategic Activities
Work with NIMES to engender the system to be responsive to environment
and natural resources issues and concerns;
Develop/enhance internal M&E system at the MEW&NR and Counties and
promote its use to track gender mainstreaming in environment and natural
resources;
Capacity build county officers and community based organization on gender
responsive M&E to track gender equality in use of natural resources and
sustainable development programmes/projects;

15. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
Strategic Priority - Area 4Strategic Priority - Area 4
Promote partnerships, linkages and sharing of best practices
(Knowledge Management) on gender mainstreaming on
management and use of environment, land and other
natural resources nationally, regionally and internationally.
3.4.4.1 Strategic Activities:
Identify and develop partnerships with donors, development partners and the
private sector for training, capacity building, and research activities;
Set up and support coordination and linkages strategy and mechanism
Work with KEWOPA, Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Natural
Resources and Budget and Appropriations Committee to push for gender-sensitive
legislations/laws and policies, and gender responsive budgeting (GRB) at National
and County level

16. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
Strategic Priority - Area 5Strategic Priority - Area 5
Set up /adapt financial mechanism for gender mainstreaming programmes and
supporting young women and men’s innovative projects on gender
mainstreaming, environment, land use, and sustainable development (Green
Economy).
3.4.5.1 Strategic Activities
Lobby for each national Government ministry and Country Governments to have a
separate gender mainstreaming budget line
Lobby and work with UN agencies, donors and the private sector to set up a fund for
gender mainstreaming programmes and projects in environment, land management,
poverty reduction and sustainable development (Green Economy);
Set up gender responsive guidelines for access, use and reporting on the funds for
gender mainstreaming on environment and natural resources
Create and operationalize Gender and Environment Trust Fund for competitive
access to resources for enterprising gender projects at county , sub-county and lower
levels.

17. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
RISK ANALYSISRISK ANALYSIS
Risk Mitigation
1. Limited /Lack of adequate
Funding
Resources Mobilization
2. Lack of Enforcement
/Implementation
- Strengthen ability of stakeholders to
enforce /implement
- Use stick and carrot strategy
3. Inadequate Capacity in MDAs
and Counties
Comprehensive Capacity Building
/training
4. Lack of Awareness /
Cooperation/
unresponsiveness by MDA and
Counties
Increase sensitization efforts
Develop and implement media –
based communication program
5. Lack of coordination and Enhance joint planning,

18. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
ROLE OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS.../1ROLE OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS.../1
1. PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON ENV/NR
 Sell the Strategy to NA and Senate and lobby for its
support;
 Lobby for mobilization of resources: a) Gender Responsive
Budgeting, and b) Gender Mainstreaming as a separate line
item in the National and County Budgets; lobby Governors
& County Assemblies.
 Lobby for review and enactment of gender responsive laws
and policies
 Leadership in sensitization and public education on Gender,
Environment & Poverty Reduction -Vision 2030.

19. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
ROLE OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS.../2ROLE OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS.../2
2. Government / MEW&NR
 Establishing a strong and functional secretariat to
implement, coordinate and monitor/evaluate the
actualization of the Strategy;
 Allocate resources: staff and money for implementation
(continuous training on gender mainstreaming in
sustainable development);
 Discuss/negotiate with development partners for
additional resource mobilization;
 Coordinating and managing sensitization and capacity
building/training.
11 Feb 2013
Alice A. Kaudia 19

20. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
ROLE OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS.../3ROLE OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS.../3
3. UNEP and Other Strategic Partners
 Lobby UNCT and donors to support the
implementation of the Strategy;
 Lobby donors and mobilize additional resources for
implementation;
 Provide technical assistance/support to the Ministry
and Counties.
11 Feb 2013
Alice A. Kaudia 20

21. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
STRATEGIC ACTIONS NEEDEDSTRATEGIC ACTIONS NEEDED
1. MOBILIZING AND SETTING UP FUNDS FOR GENDER
MAINSTREAMING ACTIVITIES AT CONSTITUENCY LEVEL
2. LAUNCHING, SUPPORTING AND REWARDING INNOVATIVE YOUTH
PROJECTS ON GENDER AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION LIKE
COMMERCIALISED SEEDLINGS, TREE PLANTING,AND SUSTAINABLE
ENERGY [NATIONAL ACTIVITY – FROM THE GRASSROOT e.g.
Conservator of theYear: Constituency, Country, Group etc.].
3. EMPOWERMENT AND INVOLVEMENT OF WOMEN IN SECURING
PEACE AND SECURITY
4. EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND MEN (COMMUNITIES) TO
EFFECTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN NEGOTIATIONS AND DEMAND TO
ACCESS BENEFITS FROM THE EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL
RESOURCES.
5. PUTTING IN PLACE JOINT M&E SYSTEM: TRACK GENDER
MAINSTREAMING.

22. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ,WATER AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION
THE IMPERATIVE ISTOTRANSLATE
COMMITMENT INTO ACTION, BACKED BY
FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND COMMITTED
OFFICERS AT NATIONAL AND COUNTY LEVELS
Thank You
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