Gender and Politics: The Role and Influence of Women Representatives in Promoting Gender Equality and Political Participation of Women in the Kenyan Parliament

Kenya has signed and ratified a number of conventions and enacted a number of laws and policies to address the gender gap and at the same time promote equality and equity. These developments have been as a result of women fighting for their rights over a long period of time. Currently, the Kenyan constitution 2010 provides for a two thirds- gender rule- where no single gender should occupy two-thirds of whichever positions in the public service sphere. In this case, the parliament should not be made of more than two-thirds of the male gender. Studies indicate progressive improvement in women representation and the promotion of fundamental human rights, minimal progress means that achieving gender parity remains a distant dream. Women have since time immemorial played a key role in politics but so far, their efforts and contributions have not been documented. This research therefore sought to examine the role and impact of the parliamentary women representatives. It assessed how this position has influenced gender equality and politics in Kenya in the period between 2013 and 2018. The study found out that women are still under represented in elective positions in Kenya. It also established that the role of county women’s representative in promoting gender equality in Kenya was above average with mean of 3. 9840. This means that the women representatives’ position is important as any other position and they should be given equal opportunities with their male counterparts to serve their electorates. The study concluded that there is still a big gender parity in terms of the composition of women in political leadership positions, and recommends that the disparity in gender representation in parties and national politics be improved by empowering more women to engage in active party politics.