By Gideon Juma
How is the plight of women in Kenya? With the emergence of Women in Development in the
20 th centuary, championing for the economic uplift and empowerment of women on economic
status in the society marked a new era on women’s economic involvement. Having been on the
sideline on the economic sphere for a while, it agitated for a reform in relation to economic
development, exclusively initiating women participation in the economics of the world in effort
to increase productivity as well as improve the condition of women in the world. Despite these
efforts, there are still loopholes in our economic structure that are downgrading this approach.
Majority of women in Kenya are disadvantaged economically especially in the least developed
regions of the country. They have limited spaces for economic advantage. They delve into
informal sectors (small-scale business and casual job) to generate income. There are limited
opportunities and resources available at their disposal to venture into exclusive enterprises.
These SMEs raise minimum returns for loan eligibility posing a challenge to expand their
businesses. This denies them growth due to fear of bad debt by financial institutions. Financial
constraints result to struggle in making the best out of their businesses. This impoverishes their
economic development and derailing the progress of these women.
Incidents of exploitation among women in the job market on payment have augmented the
employment scene whereby some women receive low income despite putting in good shifts in
their respective jobs. Their pay is minimum compared to their male counterparts in spite of being
in the same position. This inequity and inequality have culminated to economic sabotage among
women depriving them the economic advantage. On acquisition of loans, some bank loans
charge high interest rates for their lending. This denies them of startup capital or business
expansion funds halting their business ventures
Financial literacy among women has been on the low. They have unclear insight on finances due
to the limited knowledge base on finances. This attributes to financial upheavals on their
financial state culminating to financial losses. Impoverished financial decisions result to
vulnerability and emergence of mistakes. A percentage of women partaking different business
ventures conduct their businesses on needs base limiting them from saving and exploring other
business ventures, which reduces the scope on financial advantage, which in turn makes them to
operate with limited financial comprehension.
Women hold a fundamental position that is crucial and contributes to general excellence of the
society. The world is advancing in alleviating restrictions poised on women based on their
economic state. Women from all corners of the sphere are receiving attention to their issues and
concerns congruent to economic development. The primal and inherent rights of women
currently upheld with limited incidents still taking place. The economic empowerment of women
in our societies is spreading like wildfire and many of them are getting enlightened on their
rights and responsibilities in the economic set up. More women need accommodation in all
spheres of opportunities in effort to uplift their state in the society.
