Gender mainstreaming, Institutional policy and implementation of rural road projects in Nandi County, Kenya

Abstract

Projects are implemented with the intention to achieve project success. This is not the actual situation on the ground as some projects fail. Instances exist where rural road projects are not completed on time or the projects have stalled for a long period of time. In certain parts of the country, like Nandi County, there exist some rural road projects that have stalled for over five years and also both genders are not involved in data collection and analysis and decision making and there is no equality in treatment during implementation of rural road projects in Nandi County. This study therefore sought to assess gender mainstreaming, institutional policy and implementation of rural road projects in Nandi County. The objectives were to assess: the effect of gender data information on implementation of rural road projects in Nandi County, to determine the effect of gender involvement in decision making on implementation of rural road projects in Nandi County, to establish the effect of gender sensitivity in language on implementation of rural road projects in Nandi County, to examine the effect of gender equal treatment on implementation of rural road projects in Nandi County and to analyse the moderating effect of institutional policy on gender mainstreaming and implementation of rural road projects in Nandi County. The study adopted biological theory of gender, socio-economic theory, and implementation theory. This study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The target population was 528 respondents. The sample size was 228 respondents. The study adopted stratified random sampling, purposive sampling and simple random sampling techniques. Quantitative data was analysed using both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Qualitative data was examined by use of common themes that were categorized into coherent groups. Results were as follows: gender data information has a significant negative effect on implementation of rural road projects(β=-0.288, p < 0.05),gender involvement in decision making has a significant positive effect on implementation of rural road projects (β=0.423, p < 0.05), gender sensitivity in language has a significant positive effect on implementation of rural road projects(β=0.398, p < 0.05),gender equal treatment has a significant positive effect on implementation of rural road projects (β=0.744, p < 0.05), institutional policy had a moderating effect on the relationship between gender data information, both gender involvement in decision making, gender sensitivity in language and project implementation, gender equal treatment and implementation of rural road projects in Nandi County as the beta value changes from (0.288 to 0.028, p < 0.05), (.066 to -.023,p < 0.05), 0.423 to -0.045, p < 0.05), (0.398 to -0.025, p < 0.05) and (0.744 to 0.043, p < 0.05) respectively. Interview results were as follows; gender data information, gender involvement in decision making, gender sensitivity in language and gender equal treatment affects implementation of rural road projects. The study concluded that gender data information has a significant negative effect on implementation of rural road projects, gender involvement in decision making, gender sensitivity in language and gender equal treatment have a significant positive effect on implementation of rural road projects. The study recommended that rural roads project implementers in Nandi County should establish good gender relations among employees when implementing rural road projects in the County. The study recommends a further study to be conducted on gender mainstreaming and implementation of Rural Road Projects in Nandi County using other moderating variable and find-out whether similar findings will be upheld.