Shaping 2027 and Beyond: ENAF, DTF and UN Women Evaluate Historic Gender Gains in Bungoma

Echo Network Africa Foundation (ENAF), alongside the Democracy Trust Fund and the UN Women East and Southern Africa Regional Office, successfully concluded a two-day evaluation mission in Bungoma County. The joint field assessment evaluated the long-term impact of the Ireland-funded Preserving and Expanding Gender Gains Programme, implemented across Bungoma and Vihiga Counties from 2023 to 2025. Designed as part of UN Women’s outgoing 2023–2026 Strategic Note review, the mission’s findings will directly inform strategic investment priorities for the upcoming 2027–2029 cycle.

During the mission, the delegation held high-level discussions with key county leadership, including Deputy Governor H.E. Pst. Janepher Mbatiany, Gender CECM Mr. Benedict Emachar, county gender officials, and Members of the County Assembly. To capture the full scope of the program’s impact, the team also conducted community focus groups with grassroots women and beneficiaries across various sub-counties. These discussions highlighted significant gains in women’s leadership capacity, civic engagement, and political readiness ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

The evaluation highlighted major milestones, including the launch of the Bungoma County Women’s Manifesto, the adoption of progressive gender, child protection, and disability policies, and the operationalization of the Women’s Leadership Pillar within the Intergovernmental Gender Sector Working Group. Building on these successes, ENAF and its partners will use the mission’s insights to help translate existing policy frameworks into enforceable regulations, securing sustainable governance measures for women’s empowerment across the region.

Stakeholders Unite to Advance Gender-Responsive Electoral Governance Ahead of 2027 General Elections

As Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Elections, key institutions and civil society partners gathered in Nairobi for a national dialogue focused on dismantling systemic barriers to women’s political leadership.

Echo Network Africa Foundation (ENAF), in partnership with the Democracy Trust Fund (DTF) and with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), convened the National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue and Sensitization Forum on Gender-Responsive Electoral Governance. The high-level forum brought together over 70 representatives from across Kenya’s electoral governance ecosystem to establish concrete strategies for inclusive democratic processes.

Participating state and non-state actors included the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC), the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action (SDGAA), and the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT). They were joined by representatives from political parties, security agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), and women’s rights organizations (WROs).

Throughout the deliberations, delegates addressed the persistent structural, financial, and socio-cultural barriers that continue to limit women’s active political participation. The discussions generated actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening the enforcement of existing electoral laws, enhancing party-level compliance with gender parity principles, and safeguarding female candidates throughout the electoral cycle.

Crucially, the forum underscored that achieving true gender responsiveness requires cross-sectoral coordination and shared accountability. The commitments established during the session will serve as a framework for continued advocacy, joint monitoring, and targeted capacity-building. By aligning key institutions behind a unified agenda, the coalition aims to foster an electoral environment that effectively prepares, positions, and supports more women to successfully run for and win elective office in 2027.m, including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC), the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT), political parties, security agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), women’s rights organizations (WROs), and other key electoral stakeholders.

The discussions generated practical recommendations to address the persistent barriers limiting women’s political participation, strengthen the implementation and enforcement of electoral laws and policies, and promote more inclusive and gender-responsive electoral governance.

The forum also underscored the importance of stronger coordination and shared accountability among electoral stakeholders. The commitments made will guide continued advocacy and collective action towards creating an electoral environment that prepares, positions, and supports more women to run for and win elective office in the 2027 General Elections.