This study sought to examine the impact of engendering public policy in Kenya and studied Kenyan women in international relations in the eyes of those serving in international jurisdiction and those in the local sphere who have been able to influence international public policy.
The Methodology of research was through both primary and secondary data analysis. Primary data was collected from interviews with women in public offices locally and internationally. The interviews were personal interviews in the form of Non-Scheduled Non-Structured interviews. The study relied heavily on secondary data which was collected from various sources such as library research, internet searches, past thesis, academic papers and dissertations, summary of journals, government documents.
Political scientists around the world have been generally surprised by the recent surfacing of a viable advocacy movement stemming from the women’s rights movement. The profession as a whole has found itself hard pressed to deal with the movement, either in analyzing the factors that provoked its emergence, or in explaining its implications for policy-making and the operation of public institutions in general. Such unpreparedness can be partially explained by the focus of public policy research, which has almost excluded women from its concern. The question then becomes ‘If your party nominated a woman for president, would you vote for her if she were to qualify for the job?’
The equality of men in the matter of public and political rights is established by a large number of constitutions, codes and laws. Many nations have adopted the system of representative government at a later juncture, and whose customs and traditions maintain women in a subordinate position, have adopted the principle of the equality of both sexes; in the Far East and in Islamic countries, this improvement in legal status of women is proceeding, indeed at a revolutionary pace. In the Far East the public emancipation of women has encountered very strong opposition in circles attached to traditions, whether religious or not.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
INTRODUCTION
STATEMENTS OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
JUSTIFICATION OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
WORLD STUDY ON THE CONDITION OF WOMEN PUBLIC OFFICE
THE MINIMAL REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN PUBLIC OFFICE
THE IMPACT OF A CRITICAL MASS OF WOMEN PARLIAMENT
LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
ACTION FOR WOMEN IN KENYA
CONCLUSION
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
FEMINIST SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
INTRODUCTION
STRANDS OF FEMINIST THEORY
STANDPOINT FEMINISM
LIBERAL FEMINISM
POSTMODERN FEMINISM
CONCLUSION
HYPOTHESIS
METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH
PRIMARY DATA ANALYSIS
SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS
CONCLUSION
CHAPTER OUTLINE
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH
CHAPTER TWO
THE IMPACT OF ENGENDERING PUBLIC POLICY AROUND THE WORLD
INTRODUCTION
THE CASE OF EUROPE: GERMANY
CONCLUSION
THE CASE OF ASIA: CHINA
CONCLUSION
THE CASE OF AMERICA: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)
CONCLUSION
THE CASE OF EAST AFRICA: UGANDA
CONCLUSION
THE ABOVE CASE STUDIES IN RELATION TO KENYA
CHAPTER THREE
THE IMPACT OF ENGENDERING PUBLIC POLICY IN KENYA
INTRODUCTION
THE ENGENDERING OF THE POLITICAL PROCESSES PROGRAMME (EPPP)
THE GENDER AND GOVERNANCE PROGRAM IN KENYA (GGP)
WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC POLICY SINCE INDIPENDENCE
THE STRUGGLE FOR MORE PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC POLICY
WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC OFFICE AND POLITICS
WOMEN PERSONALITIES THAT HAVE INFLUENCED PUBLIC POLICY
CONCLUSION
CHAPTER FOUR
THE CASE STUDY OF KENYAN WOMEN IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
INTRODUCTION
INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS THAT HAVE FACILITATED WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
KENYAN WOMEN IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
CONCLUSION
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
This research examines the impact of engendering public policy in Kenya and the resulting representation of women in international relations. The core objective is to analyze how mainstreaming gender into political and institutional frameworks addresses the structural and social barriers that have historically excluded women from decision-making positions.
- The role of the feminist school of thought in public policy reform.
- International comparative analysis of women in public office.
- Evaluation of the Engendering of the Political Processes Programme (EPPP) and Gender and Governance Program (GGP) in Kenya.
- Assessment of Kenyan women’s roles in diplomatic missions, international organizations, and domestic governance.
- Identification of barriers to women's participation in political parties and public institutions.
Excerpt from the Book
THE CASE OF ASIA: CHINA
The Chinese experience, or rather the massive revolutionary experiment, in the continuing revolution of China, has indubitably and from the very beginning been linked with woman’s true liberation, in every sense of the word. In the 1970’s women’s liberations movements were occurring in many countries in the West; as premier Chou En-lai said of the young, there are all manners of seeking for a way, fro the truth; and all genuine movements begin with these. The Great leap forward of Chinese women is best seen in the fact that they are not liberating themselves only in order to attain equality with men and economic benefits, but in order to ‘make the revolution’, to contribute to the consolidation of socialism, for only in this consolidation can they also consolidate their own liberation, and truly become ‘half of heaven’.
Women Carry Half Of Heaven On Their Shoulders and They Must Conquer it. The very existence of the new women’s movements poses a number of questions. The first one is: why is there is a woman’s movement at all today? After all, women have the right to vote in all countries where the movement exists; so that was not the reason they founded the women groups. We have the right to divorce, the right to contraception, the experience of social labour. The application of the principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ has even been written into the bourgeois code of work. Reforms in marriage laws have attenuated some of the more glaring instances of sexual discrimination.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: Provides an introduction to the research problem, arguing that existing public policy historically excluded women, and outlines the theoretical and methodological approach of the study.
CHAPTER TWO: Analyzes the global experience of engendering public policy through case studies in Germany, China, the USA, and Uganda, illustrating various strategies for women's political integration.
CHAPTER THREE: Investigates the specific impact of engendering public policy in Kenya, focusing on programs like EPPP and GGP and providing data on women's representation in public office since independence.
CHAPTER FOUR: Explores the involvement of Kenyan women in international relations, highlighting how international instruments and individual leadership have facilitated their participation on a global stage.
CHAPTER FIVE: Concludes the study by synthesizing the findings and reiterating the necessity of active political participation for both men and women to achieve sustainable and wholesome national development.
Keywords
Engendering Public Policy, Women in International Relations, Feminist School of Thought, Political Participation, Gender Equality, Governance, Affirmative Action, Kenya, Public Office, Democratic Process, Structural Barriers, Women's Rights, Leadership, Representation, Political Reform
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research project?
The study examines the impact of public policy reform efforts (referred to as "engendering") on the representation and influence of Kenyan women in public office, both locally and in international relations.
What are the primary thematic fields covered in the work?
The research covers feminist theory, political transition in Kenya, comparative international policy analysis, and the specific historical roles of women in Kenyan diplomacy and public administration.
What is the central research question?
The work seeks to identify how the engendering of public policy in Kenya has contributed to the increased participation and influence of Kenyan women in international and local political spheres.
What methodology is employed?
The study utilizes both primary and secondary data analysis. Primary data consists of non-scheduled, non-structured interviews, while secondary data is drawn from academic journals, government documents, and international reports.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body examines global case studies, details the development of Kenyan specific programs like the GGP, and provides an extensive list of influential Kenyan women and their roles in various public offices.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Core themes represented are Gender Equality, Public Policy, Kenyan Politics, International Relations, and Feminist Theory.
What role does the Feminist School of Thought play in this study?
It serves as the theoretical framework to explain how gender roles are constructed and why mainstreaming gender in policy is essential for challenging patriarchal structures in public office.
How have Kenyan women influenced public policy in the international sphere?
By serving as ambassadors, high commissioners, and representatives in entities like the UN and UNESCO, they have influenced international policy, successfully moving motions such as the Beijing Platform for Action.
What significance is attributed to the "Engendering of the Political Processes Programme (EPPP)"?
It is highlighted as a critical governance initiative in Kenya that integrated gender into developmental programming to mitigate structural and attitudinal barriers faced by women politicians.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Mercy Gichangi (Autor:in), 2009, The Impact of Engendering Public Policy in Kenya. A Case Study of Kenyan Women in International Relations, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1387431
