During a hands-on session, youth researchers engaged in group work to apply data analysis techniques to real-world challenges. Through collaboration and peer learning, they strengthened their ability to generate research that informs gender-responsive policies and programming.

Dr. Linet Arisa, Venantius, and Kerryn join youth researchers for a group photo on the opening day of the ICRW Data Analysis Training Workshop in Nairobi. The workshop brings together young scholars working with real Kenyan datasets to deepen their skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis, advancing evidence-informed research on gender and development.

Kizito Wangalwa, Director of Committees and Programs at the Council of Governors, emphasized the vital role of county governments in adopting and implementing the Care Framework. He affirmed his thorough review, commended its integration, and called for clear roles, strong county commitment, adequate resources, and alignment with devolved governance for effective rollout. 

Elizabeth Obanda recognized the Gates Foundation’s financial support and the data-driven approach, emphasized county-level capacity building, and underscored UN Women’s pivotal role in shaping the National Care Policy; advocating for women-centered care, integrated direct and indirect services, flexible policies, technological innovation, and equitable resource allocation.

He acknowledged the dignitaries and partners, highlighted the policy’s participatory journey, commended Kenya’s commitment to valuing unpaid care work, noted data-driven improvements, acknowledged UN Women, Gates Foundation, KNBS contributions, and urged ongoing collaboration for policy implementation

She reflected on the hardships women endure performing unrecognized, unpaid care work and welcomed the transformative benefits the National Care Policy will deliver. She emphasized that this policy represents a landmark victory in advancing women’s rights and recognizing their contributions across Kenya.

Stakeholders engage in working group discussions during the Technical Working Group on the National Care Policy in Machakos. Over the course of the session, participants examined the structure of the draft policy, identified gaps in current care systems, and proposed concrete strategies for implementation at both national and county levels.Discussions also focused on financing mechanisms, clarity of institutional mandates, and ensuring that the policy responds to the needs of unpaid caregivers across diverse communities.

He emphasized the critical role of dialogue and cross-sector collaboration in fine-tuning the Kenya National Care Policy, ensuring its alignment around priority actions to advance the national care economy agenda.

Youth researchers engage in group work during a practical session . Through collaborative tasks and peer learning, participants applied data analysis techniques to real-world challenges, strengthening their capacity to produce research that informs gender-responsive policy and programming.

Facilitators Dr. Linet Arisa, Venantius, and Kerryn join youth researchers for a group photograph on the inaugural day of the ICRW Data Analysis Training Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop brings together young researchers dealing with real Kenyan datasets to foster experiential learning in qualitative and quantitative analysis, promoting more evidence-informed approaches to gender and development research.

This high-level convening marked a key milestone in refining Kenya’s draft Care Policy and reinforcing multisectoral collaboration to integrate care work into national development agendas.

Grace Wasike, Director of Social Economic Empowerment at the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action, delivers the keynote address at the Stakeholder Sensitization Workshop on the National Care Policy held on June 17, 2025, at Mövenpick Hotel, Nairobi. She outlined the policy’s strategic framework centered on recognition, reduction, redistribution, reward, and representation of care work emphasizing the urgency of integrating care into national development and economic planning.

Participants gather for a group photo at the conclusion of the Stakeholder Sensitization Workshop on the National Care Policy.The workshop brought together policymakers, development partners, civil society leaders, and community stakeholders, marking a key milestone in the journey to position care work at the heart of Kenya’s economic planning and gender equality agenda.

The Gender-Climate Nexus

• Resource management: Women’s indigenous knowledge in sustainable agriculture and water conservation remains underutilized.
• Energy poverty: 600 million Africans lack electricity access (IEA, 2023), forcing women to rely on polluting fuels, which exacerbates respiratory illnesses.
• Economic vulnerability: Climate shocks deepen poverty by disrupting women’s livelihoods in farming and informal trade.

ICRW Africa’s Evidence-Based Approach
Through the What Works: Women and Climate Change initiative, ICRW Africa:

• Documents successful women-led adaptation strategies, such as drought-resistant farming in Kenya.
• Advocates for gender-responsive climate financing at regional forums like the African Union Summit.
• Convenes the Gender and Climate Learning Collaborative, a platform for policymakers and practitioners.

Success Story: Solar Sisters in Uganda
A community-based project training women to sell solar lamps has reduced indoor air pollution while creating 500+ jobs. Participants report a 40% increase in household income.

Conclusion
Scaling women’s climate leadership is a triple win: it advances gender equality, mitigates environmental degradation, and strengthens economic resilience. Policymakers must prioritize funding and platforms for women’s voices in climate decision-making.

Key Takeaways for Policymakers

1. Care Economy: Integrate unpaid care work into national accounting systems.
2. Social Norms: Combine grassroots education with structural reforms to dismantle barriers.
3. Climate Action: Direct funding to women-led initiatives and include women in policy design.

Call to Action
To learn more about ICRW Africa’s research or partner with us.

The Role of Norms in Economic Exclusion
Studies by the World Bank reveal that discriminatory norms contribute to:

• Occupational segregation: Women dominate informal and care-based sectors, which offer lower wages and fewer benefits.
• Limited mobility: Cultural expectations often restrict women’s ability to travel for work or education.
• Barriers to finance: Only 37% of women in Africa have access to formal banking services (AFDB, 2021), partly due to patriarchal control over resources.

ICRW Africa’s Norm-Shifting Interventions
ICRW Africa employs a multi-pronged approach to address these barriers:

1. Community Engagement: Partnering with local leaders to challenge stereotypes through dialogues and education campaigns.
2. Policy Advocacy: Supporting legislation that promotes equal pay, parental leave, and women’s land rights.
3. Research and Metrics: Developing tools to measure norm change and evaluate program effectiveness.

Case Study: The Behind the Scenes Initiative
This multi-country program tackles gender barriers in Africa’s creative industries by providing young women with training, mentorship, and advocacy platforms. Early results show a 30% increase in female participation in technical roles across participating countries.

Transforming entrenched norms requires sustained, collaborative efforts. By addressing the root causes of economic inequality, Africa can harness the full potential of its female workforce

The Economic Impact of Unpaid Care Work
Unpaid care work subsidizes national economies by enabling workforce productivity and human capital development. However, its exclusion from GDP measurements obscures its true economic value. Research by the International Labour Organization (ILO) indicates that 86% of African women work in the informal sector, often in low-paying, precarious jobs with limited social protections, partly due to caregiving obligations.

Policy Interventions and Solutions
Recognizing the care economy’s centrality, ICRW Africa has spearheaded evidence-based policy initiatives, including Kenya’s National Care Policy. This groundbreaking framework, developed in partnership with UN Women and the Kenyan government, seeks to:

• Recognize care work’s economic value through data collection and advocacy.
• Reduce the burden through infrastructure investments (e.g., accessible water, childcare facilities).
• Redistribute responsibilities by promoting gender-equitable norms and paid care employment.

Conclusion
Investing in the care economy is not merely a social imperative but an economic necessity. By integrating care work into national development agendas, African nations can unlock women’s full economic potential and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).