Empowering Women in Kenya’s Textile and Apparel Industry: INSTEP Kenya’s Gender Initiatives

The textile and apparel industry stands as Kenya's third-largest export sector and the most labor-intensive within the country's manufacturing industry. Employing approximately 80,000 people directly and over 250,000 indirectly, this sector is a significant driver of economic growth and job creation. While women are not explicitly excluded from the manufacturing industry, they remain both underrepresented and undervalued. Over 70% of the sector's workers in Kenya are women, mostly engaged in lower-tier jobs.

IDH, through its IN Sustainable Textile and Apparel Parks (INSTEP) programme, is working with industry stakeholders to address some of these challenges and promote sustainable textile and apparel production in the country. The programme aims to minimize environmental impact and improve working conditions while also focusing on enhancing gender equality and empowering women. INSTEP's initiatives focus on skills development, career advancement, and the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual harassment to create a more inclusive and equitable industry.

Kazi Bora: Elevating Skills and Employment

Kazi Bora (Better Jobs) is a key initiative under INSTEP Kenya, implemented in collaboration with the Generation Programme Kenya. The project is designed to transform the country's apparel manufacturing industry through targeted workforce training and skills development, with a particular emphasis on youth and women. The Kazi Bora project has so far trained 2,570 young people, 62% of whom are women, with 74% securing meaningful employment, a key outcome in fostering women's economic independence.

In addition to skills training, Kazi Bora has introduced mental health support as part of holistic approach to worker well-being. A Mental Health Wellness Event in Mombasa provided sewing machine operators with essential, discussions on mental health, gender-based violence, and support services for survivors. This initiative has fostered peer support and problem-solving within the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) factories, providing a vital resource for workers.

Kazi Bora also established psychosocial support at training centers and factories, promoting mental health awareness, combating GBV and sexual harassment, promoting self-care, and fostering healthier employer-employee relationships. It has established a toll-free helpline, in collaboration with the Savannah Foundation, to offer counselling services and alumni support for sewing machine operators, prioritizing their overall well-being.

Kazi Bora's comprehensive gender strategy seeks to integrate gender equity across all facets of the industry. The strategy has been implemented in participating factories, addressing critical issues such as sexual harassment, inadequate sanitation facilities, and health concerns, with the aim of improving working conditions for women. This approach not only improved individual well-being but also strengthens the industry's commitment to inclusivity and equality.

Sustainability for Competitiveness (S4C): A Commitment to a Sustainable and Equitable Industry

INSTEP's Sustainability for Competitiveness (S4C) project in Kenya, in collaboration with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), is promoting environmentally and socially sustainable practices within factories and EPZs by strengthening the capacity of industry stakeholders-including policymakers, regulators, manufacturers, workers, and brands. The initiative emphasizes sector coordination, transparency, compliance, worker representation, and improved productivity, while working towards gender inclusivity. A core focus of the project is advancing gender inclusivity within these frameworks.

The Gender in Manufacturing Forum 2023, co-hosted with KAM, was a pivotal event under the initiative. It brought together diverse stakeholders to discuss ways to close the gender gap, advance women's careers, and ensure fair working conditions. The event underscored the importance of recognizing women's contributions, expanding their opportunities, and implementing policies that promote gender equity.

The S4C prioritized the leadership development providing training to supervisors and middle-level managers, the majority of whom were women. By equipping more women with these competencies, the S4C project is contributing to greater gender diversity in leadership roles.

Under the S4C project, the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Sensitization Forums facilitated by the National Gender and Equality Commission, further advanced these goals. This forum focused on raising awareness of gender equity and social inclusion in the manufacturing industry. It provided practical tools and resources to empower women in manufacturing and enhance their leadership skills, creating opportunities for networking, collaboration, and mentorship.

The GESI workshops are expected to lead to the development of a comprehensive GESI policy framework tailored to the textile and apparel industry, offering actionable strategies to address gender-based challenges, improve working conditions, and enhance overall competitiveness.

Paving the Way for a More Inclusive Industry

Through its multi-faceted initiatives like Kazi Bora and S4C, INSTEP is at the forefront of promoting gender equity and sustainability in the textile and apparel sector in Kenya. These projects are creating a stronger, more resilient workforce and transforming the industry culture in the country.

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