A draft gender audit report aimed at improving service delivery by the county government of Nakuru is at its validation stage.
The report was done after a research carried out by Global Consultants Ltd in partnership with the Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance (CEDGG), Legal Resources Foundation, Nakuru Residents Associations, and the county government of Nakuru.
The report through its findings and recommendations is aimed at improving service delivery in Nakuru by coming up with a coherent gender policy.
The report focused on various areas among them; poverty reduction and economic empowerment, access to equal and quality education and training, access to quality and affordable health, violence against women/ gender-based violence, as well as equitable participation in power and decision-making.
Other areas are institutional mechanisms for gender equality, gender and human rights, strengthening gender equality through media, gender mainstreaming in environmental conservation, and girl/boy child empowerment.
The report in its recommendations is proposing the need to develop, enact and implement gender mainstreaming policy through the gender department and county assembly of Nakuru as well as capacity building for gender mainstreaming and awareness.
Ms Njeri Muhia, lead consultant at Global Consultants Ltd which played a key role in coming up with the report said the survey was carried out for a period of seven months interacting with all stakeholders in various departments as well as the public.
According to Muhia, the report is paramount for the county government of Nakuru as it will assist in the review of the Gender Bill that is before the county assembly towards streamlining gender-based activities in the county.
With the formation of a technical working group on the same, Ms Muhia stated that they will now move with speed to sensitise the county executive as well as the county assembly on the need to implement the same.
“We have formed a team at the end of the day that is going to generate a roadmap for moving the gender mainstreaming forward. Next step is to sensitise the executive and the county assembly on why we should be able to implement the gender mainstreaming as is required of us,” she said.
Nakuru County Director Gender Department Ms Alice Gikonde lauded the move saying it will help in addressing gender issue within the county.
Masese Kemunche from Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good governance who spoke on Friday during a workshop on the same commended the County government of Nakuru for their collaboration.
"Formulation of a coherent gender policy will play a key role in addressing gender issues surrounding service delivery in Nakuru County," said Kemunche.