Young Women Feminist in Kenya

Our Work

What We Do

1. Economic Justice

YOWOFEK addresses both structural and cultural barriers to economic empowerment of women and girls in Kenya. These strategies aim to create an enabling environment where women and girls can actively participate in economic activities and enjoy the same opportunities as men, ultimately contributing to gender equality and sustainable development. Our Strategies include: We expand access to financial services, such as savings and internal lending programs, access to savings accounts, credit and insurance for women and girls. Promote financial literacy programs to enhance their ability to manage finances and make informed decisions.

Equal pay and Employment Opportunities: YOWOFEK advocate for equal pay for equal work and challenge wage gaps. Promote policies that address workplace discrimination and harassment especially to women domestic workers in Kenya.

We encourage businesses to implement family-friendly policies and flexible work arrangements to support working mothers.

Access to Land and Property Rights: YOWOFEK advocates for land rights to women and girls especially widows by ensuring women’s equal rights to land ownership and inheritance. Advocate for legal reforms to protect women’s property rights. Provide education and awareness programs on land and property rights for women and communities.

Community engagement and Gender Norms: Engage communities and promote gender-transformative approaches to challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes. Encourage men and boys to actively support gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

Policy and Legal Reforms: YOWOFEK advocates for gender-responsive policies and legal reforms that supports women’s economic empowerment. Monitor and enforce existing laws and regulations to ensure gender equality in economic opportunities for women and girls in Kenya.

Data Collection and Research; Collect gender-disaggregated data to understand and address specific economic challenges faced by women and girls. YOWOFEK support research and analysis on the economic impact of gender inequality to inform policy and program development

2. Climate justice for women

Women, especially in developing countries, often bear a heavier burden when it comes to the impacts of climate change. This is due to factors such as their roles in caregiving, agriculture, and water resource management, as well as limited access to resources and decision-making power. Climate change exacerbates existing inequalities, with women often having limited access to land, financial resources, education, and technology. This restricts their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions and make a living. Climate-related disasters can increase the risk of gender-based violence against women, including sexual harassment, exploitation, and domestic violence. Displacement and loss of livelihoods can further exacerbate this vulnerability. YOWOFEK advocates for the meaningful inclusion of women in decision-making processes related to climate policy, adaptation, and mitigation efforts. Empowering women to participate in these processes is crucial for crafting effective and equitable solutions. We prioritize the creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities for women, including promoting climate-resilient agriculture, clean energy access, and income-generating activities that benefit both women and the environment.

2. Gender Based Violence

Gender-based violence is a pervasive issue in many parts of the world, including Kenya. It can take various forms, including physical, sexual, psychological, and economic abuse.  Preventing gender-based violence is a complex and multifaceted challenge that requires efforts on multiple levels, including individual, community, and societal. YOWOFEK strategy includes: Education and Awareness; Legal reforms; support services; Economic empowerment; community engagement; preventing violence in intimate relationships; mentorship education programs; social media and technology awareness; workplace policies; media representation; engaging men and boys; data collection and research and international collaboration

YOWOFEK advocates for SRHR for women and girls to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health, free from discrimination, coercion, and violence. This includes access to comprehensive and accurate information about sexual and reproductive health, as well as access to a range of healthcare services, including family planning, contraception, safe abortion, maternal and prenatal care, and prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).