The Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage, Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, has reiterated the government’s steadfast commitment to promoting gender equality, inclusion, and dignity for all Kenyans.
Speaking during the launch of the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) Strategic Plan 2025–2029 and the 2025 Usawa Awards, CS Cheptumo outlined essential policy and institutional reforms aimed at integrating equality throughout government operations.
The Cabinet Secretary pledged to be a strong advocate for gender equality at the Cabinet level.
“I want to commit, that I will use my voice at the Cabinet table to elevate the gender machineries’ respective mandates and lobby for substantive, and sustained resources allocation,” she stated.
Highlighting Article 27 of the Constitution of Kenya, she proclaimed, “Equality is not a favour to be extended, nor is it a slogan for convenience; it is a right, a duty, and a constitutional imperative.”
Cheptumo urged all stakeholders to uphold this mandate with determination and loyalty.
The CS announced her Ministry’s ongoing efforts to reintroduce gender-mainstreaming indicators into performance contracting across government.
My Ministry’s aspiration is that Ministries, Departments and Agencies will not just be measured by outputs and shillings spent, but by how those outputs advance inclusion and dignity,” she emphasized. “In so doing, gender equality shall be a metric of performance in service delivery,”
Additionally, she unveiled the recently completed National Male Engagement and Inclusion Strategy, which aims to recognise men and boys not only as allies in the gender agenda but also as individuals with unique needs that must be addressed.
CS Cheptumo highlighted the significance of President William Ruto’s Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, which established three distinct State Departments within her Ministry: Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action, Culture, the Arts and Heritage, and Children Services.
“This is not mere administrative cosmetics. It is a recognition that the work of uplifting the dignity of every Kenyan, especially the vulnerable, requires dedicated focus, policy clarity, and institutional commitment,” she affirmed.
Acknowledging the vital role of the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), the CS stated, “It is the country’s constitutional compass on equality and non-discrimination. Its role is to watch, to remind, to guide, and yes, when necessary, to challenge.”
She lauded the Commission’s expanding presence across regions and platforms, including grassroots forums and social media, where it assists vulnerable populations in amplifying their lived experiences.
CS Cheptumo also commended NGEC for its partnerships in addressing child protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), femicide, and in advocating for legislative reforms, including the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule.
