KBC, UoN sign pact to advance women economic empowerment

The State broadcaster, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) and the University of Nairobi (UoN) have signed a partnership to advance women’s economic empowerment and gender equality in Kenya.

KBC which boasts of over 20 radio stations will use the widely consumed medium to disseminate high-quality interactive programmes to promote affirmative action and economic empowerment among other gender issues.

The resource persons will be drawn from the University’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Hub (WEE Hub), a research centre launched in 2020 and has since positioned itself as a thought- leader in producing cutting-edge, innovative, rigorous, and accessible evidence through research for impacting policy formulation, implementation and up-scaling for the full realization of women’s empowerment.

Housed at the African Women Studies Centre (AWSC) in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the hub brings together a multi-disciplinary team of scholars in economics, women’s studies, law, business studies and development studies.

Speaking Monday during the signing of the pact, KBC acting Managing Director Samuel Maina acknowledged the influential role the media plays in promoting affirmative action.

He said research is a key component in finding lasting solutions to societal problems and that KBC will use its vernacular radio stations, the English Service and RadioTaifa to steer women’s economic empowerment agenda.

While emphasising the role of research in empowering women, Maina said the informative programmes will offer women both in formal and informal sectors entrepreneurship opportunities since they will have a better understanding of how to access affirmative action funds.

“ KBC is delighted to partner with UoN, we have always worked together and this project will enhance our mutual relationship. We are happy to have the researchers speak in vernacular and as such women will be able to access information that has not been available to them in the past” he said.

“KBC boasts of the widest coverage in the country, and through this partnership, a wide number of audience will be able to enjoy and benefit from this programmes. I am so proud this initiative is happening a day after mothers day” he added

On his part, UoN Vice-Chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama said the Hub will continue to produce foundation research to understand what matters for women’s economic empowerment and understand pathways that enable women’s work.

“Women are key players in our society. We believe that KBC is still the voice of Kenya. Women empowerment, is a problem that doesn’t have one single line of solution, fixing it requires collaboration, and KBC is key in sharing of knowledge, to realize a sustainable, long-lasting solution to women issues” he said.