Kenya Among Most Improved Countries on Women's Economic Rights - World Bank

The World Bank has released a new report ranking Kenya among the best-improved countries on women's economic rights.

According to the report titled Women, Business and the Law 2018, Kenya was named one of the economies in Sub- Saharan Africa implementing the most reforms in empowering women economically. 

Other countries that have been listed as having improved immensely in promoting women's economic rights are Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Iraq.

Kenya was found to have reformed in three or more indicators used in the study including accessing institutions, using property, getting a job, providing incentives to work, going to court, building credit and protecting women from violence.

[caption caption="The World Bank report"][/caption]

Kenya enacted its first domestic violence law, which protects family members, spouses and former spouses and partners (including non-cohabiting partners) from physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse.

The country also now provides legal aid in civil matters and has improved access to credit information by distributing data from two utility companies that report positive and negative payment information.

The report, however, noted that the country had not fully eliminated the costs for birth registration.

"Although many economies are moving toward eliminating costs for birth registration within the required timeframe (which can range from 10 days to 1 year), some still charge for late registration.

"For example, in Kenya, birth registration is free if done within 6 months, but a fee is charged after that. The aim is to encourage early registration," the World Bank report states.

Women, Business and the Law 2018 is the fifth in a series of biennial reports measuring gender differences in legal treatment. Since this research started, the realization of the importance of women’s entrepreneurship and employment has increased significantly, as has understanding of the relationship between legal gender equality and women’s economic outcomes.

[caption caption="File image of Nairobi City"][/caption]

 

 

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