Sh940m for sanitary towels as state ups GBV, FGM and women empowerment funding
The funding boost comes amid a surge in gender-based violence across Kenya, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the crisis.
The government has placed the welfare of the girl child at the forefront of the 2025/26 budget, directing substantial funds towards initiatives that protect her health, dignity, and safety.
Presenting the estimates before Parliament on Thursday, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has proposed Sh940 million for the provision of sanitary towels to schoolgirls across the country.
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He noted that the intervention is expected to boost school attendance and retention, particularly in marginalised areas where access to menstrual hygiene products remains a challenge.
An additional Sh254 million has also been set aside for gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response measures.
“The funds will go towards expanding safe shelters, training response teams, and strengthening legal and psychosocial support systems for survivors,” he said.
Enforce anti-FGM laws
To reinforce the ongoing campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM), the Treasury has also proposed Sh110 million.
The resources will support awareness initiatives, community outreach programmes, and enforcement of anti-FGM laws, especially in high-prevalence counties.
Further, the Treasury has proposed Sh353.1 million for the Women Enterprise Fund to support female-led businesses and expand access to affordable credit for women across the country.
The National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) has also received Sh4 billion to implement grassroots projects aimed at uplifting vulnerable groups, particularly women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
The funding boost comes amid a surge in gender-based violence across Kenya, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the crisis.
A recent report by the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness shows that funding for GBV prevention dropped by 30 per cent between 2020 and 2022, despite a 42 per cent increase in reported cases over the same period.
The study highlights weak enforcement of GBV laws, limited access to justice for survivors, and a severe shortage of state-run shelters—only 18 exist countrywide.
Between 2016 and 2024, at least 678 women and girls were killed by intimate partners.
Data from the 2022 Demographic Health Survey also reveals that 34 per cent of women aged 15–49 have experienced physical violence, with older women and married couples showing the highest levels of abuse.
The renewed investments are seen as a critical step in addressing these long-standing gaps and safeguarding the rights and dignity of Kenyan women and girls.
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