Assessment of the role of legislature in attainment of gender equality: a comparative study of Kenya and Rwanda

Abstract

The role and participation of women in sustainable development is very poignant. Literature shows that women participation in development promotes social transformation. This is because, when women are empowered, there is a radical shift that begins from the household level to the national level. Women are the major players in agriculture and in the informal sector as small scale traders. Increasingly, the world appreciates the involvement of women in all sectors of the economy. Gender mainstreaming is about increasing gender consciousness and intentionally putting in place mechanisms that ensure gender equality and equity. The main purpose of the proposed study is to assess the role of the Parliamentary Service in attainment of gender equality in Kenya. Specifically, the study assessed gender equality in the legislation processes, evaluated gender equality in recruitment practices, assessed workplace gender equality, analyzed issue of gendered governance in the representation and participation in the Parliamentary Service and assessed gender equality in legislative processes in the country. To achieve the study objectives, the study adopted a descriptive survey design. The approach allowed for triangulation of methods in order to collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data for greater reliability and validity of the findings. Stratified sampling was used in choosing the sample population in order to capture the different categories of stakeholders. Data in this study was collected using a semi structured survey questionnaire as well as through key informant interviews. Collected data was analyzed through use of descriptive statistics such as frequency distributions and measures of central tendency. The study relied on chi square test to measure the strength of relationship between variables in the study. Qualitative data was summarized thematically into narratives.