Gender Issues
Employment Percent of currently married women and men age 15-49 who were employed in 12 months before the survey More men were employed in the last year than women. 75% of women compared to nearly all men were employed. 2
Type of Payment Percent distribution of payment type among currently married women and men age 15-49 who were employed in 12 months before the survey The large majority of working women and men earn cash (61% and 82%), while 20% of women and 7% of men are not paid. Men are more likely to be paid in cash than women. 3
Control over Woman’s Earnings Among currently married women age 15-49 who received cash earnings, percent distribution by person who decides how woman’s earnings are used Nearly half of women who are currently employed and earning cash made independent decisions on how to spend their earnings. 41% of married working women made joint decisions with their husbands on cash earnings, while 9% report that their husbands made the decision alone. 4
Ownership of House and Land Percent of women and men age 15-49 Men are more likely to own a house, alone or jointly, than women (49% versus 42%). Men are also more likely to own land, alone or jointly, than women. 5
Women’s Participation in Decision Making Percent of currently married women age 15-49 who usually make specific decisions by themselves or jointly with their husband The 2014 KDHS asked currently married women about their participation in four types of household decisions: her own health care, making major household purchases, visits to family or relatives, and what food should be cooked each day. 73% of women have sole or joint decision-making power about visiting family or relatives and participate in decisions about major household purchases. 79% of married women participate in decisions about their own health care, and 94% of married women make decisions about what food should be cooked each day. 2% of women do not participate in any of the four decisions; more than half of women report that they participate in all four decisions. 6
Attitudes toward Wife Beating Percent of women and men age 15-49 who agree that a husband is justified in beating his wife under certain circumstances The 2014 KDHS asked female and male respondents if they think a husband is justified in beating his wife under a series of circumstances: wife burns the food, wife argues with him, wife goes out without telling him, wife neglects the children, and wife refuses to have sex with him. Overall, men are less likely than women to agree that wife beating is justified for one specified reason. 42% of women and 36% of men agree that a husband is justified in beating his wife for at least one of these reasons: if she burns the food, argues with him, goes out without telling him, neglects the children, or refuses to have sex with him. Women are most likely to agree that wife beating is justified if a wife neglects the children (33%). Men are more likely to agree that wife beating is justified if the wife neglects the children (27%). 7
Experience of Physical Violence Percent of women and men age 15-49 who have ever experienced physical violence since age 15 In Kenya, domestic violence crosses all socioeconomic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Nearly half of women have ever experienced physical violence since age 15, while 20% often or sometimes experienced physical violence in the past 12 months. In this context, physical violence means any type of physical violence, whether it is experienced at home or in another location, such as the workplace or school. Men are almost as likely as women to have ever experienced physical violence—44% but less likely to have recently experienced violence. 8
Perpetrators of Physical Violence Among ever-married women, 57% report experiencing physical violence committed by a current husband/partner. Among never-married women, 48% report experiencing physical violence committed by a teacher. 29% of ever-married men and 46% of never- married men report experiencing physical violence committed by a teacher. 9
Experience of Sexual Violence Percent of women and men age 15-49 who have ever experienced physical violence 10
Perpetrators of Sexual Violence Among ever-married women, 55% report experiencing sexual violence committed by a current husband/partner. Among ever-married men, 37% report experiencing sexual violence committed by a current wife/partner. 11
Spousal Violence Percent of ever-married women and men age 15-49 who have ever experienced violence committed by their spouse/partner Spousal violence is physical, sexual, or emotional abuse committed by a husband or intimate partner. 37% of ever-married women report that they have ever experienced physical violence by their husband/partner, which is the most common form of spousal violence. Emotional violence (37%) and sexual violence (13%) are less common. 47% of ever-married women have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence. Among ever-married men, 21% report that they have ever experienced emotional violence by their wife/partner, which is the most common form of spousal violence. Physical violence (7%) and sexual violence (4%) are less common. 24% of ever-married women have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence. 12
Violence against their Spouse Percent of ever-married women and men age 15-49 who have committed physical violence against their current or most recent spouse/partner when she/he was not already beating or physically hurting her/him 4% of women report having committed violence against their husband. 37% of men report having committed violence against their wife. 13
Help Seeking Behaviour Percent of women and men age 15-49 who have ever experienced physical or sexual violence 44% of women who have ever experienced physical or sexual violence have sought help to stop violence compared to 27% of men; 41% of women and 46% of men never sought help or told anyone about the violence; and 11% of women and 20% of men never sought help, but told someone. 14
Female Circumcision by Age Percent of women age 15-49 Prevalence of FGC increase with age, indicating that the practice is decreasing among younger women. Overall, 21% of women in Kenya are circumcised. 15
Circumcision Among Girls 3% of girls age 0-14 have been circumcised. FGC highest among Kisii (16%) and Somali (36%). FGC highest among girls in North Eastern (40%) and Nyanza (6%) regions. Traditional providers performed 75% of these circumcisions. 20% were performed by medical professionals. 16
Opinions on the Continued Practice of FGC by Education Percent women and men age 15-49 who have heard of female circumcision by opinion on whether the practice of circumcision should be continued 17