I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our devoted partners and communities for your unwavering support over the past year. Your belief in ICRW Africa has fueled our drive to push boundaries, uphold gender equality, and persist against relentless challenges.
This year has proven to be a powerful test of mettle, fortifying our resolve and equipping us for the challenges ahead. Amid shrinking civic spaces and constant challenges to gender equality, our unwavering determination has become our rallying cry. We have forged strategic high-level dialogues on diverse gender issues that have not only highlighted critical challenges but also set pathways for transformative change.
Our robust sectoral coordination of women economic empowerment space has laid the groundwork for and advanced advocacy towards the historic adoption of the Care Policy in Kenya. Moreover, innovative projects—such as our initiative empowering young women in the creative sector and evidence on what social protection women want—have begun to reshape narratives and foster measurable impact. As we confront a rapidly changing global context, our strategic priorities for the coming year are clear.
We are responding decisively to an increasingly complex environment for gender equality—a struggle intricately linked to slowing economic growth, stagnating poverty reduction, and the perennial challenge of public funds diverted from vital health investments. Recent evidence, including insights from the 2025 Lancet Countdown report on women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health starkly reminds us that over half of the sub-Saharan countries are spending more on external debt servicing than on health.
These economic pressures are exacerbated by deeply entrenched power dynamics. For example, nations in the Global North continue to command technological and economic dominance, leaving the global majority—and our own communities—fighting for equitable access and voice. ICRW Africa work sits squarely at this intersection of economic power, health, and social dynamics, as a battleground for urgent action against gender inequality. Our policy corridors have been inundated with misinformation and disinformation targeting gender and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
As civic spaces shrink, our collective resolve to lead with clarity and integrity becomes even more crucial. It is against this backdrop that our partnerships shine even brighter. Collaborations with UN Women, Reproductive Health Network Kenya, Akina Mama wa AfriKa, partners under the Behind the Scenes Project, among others, have reinforced our conviction that lasting impact is achieved together.
Despite dwindling resources, our adaptive leadership has taught us that strategic partnerships and pooled expertise can stretch every resource to the maximum, ensuring we continue to defend and advance gender equity with uncompromising dedication. ICRW Africa stands ready to double our efforts, adapting with resilience and leading with renewed zeal to advance and protect gains in women’s rights.
Our commitment to rigorous scientific research and clarity of purpose fortifies our mission. I am confident that together, we will overcome the challenges ahead. Thank you for your enduring trust and for joining us on this vital journey.
~Evelyne Opondo
