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Gender-based violence (GBV) is a grave human rights violation that undermines societal stability and progress. While global research on effectiveness of development projects against GBV exists, limited empirical studies focus on Kenya’s unique sociocultural and institutional context in the implementation of bilateral programs, for which this qualitative study aims to provide in-depth understandings.

In Kenya, development cooperation continues to actively support gender equality through initiatives focused on women’s empowerment, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, and political participation, aligning with the 2010 Constitution and the global sustainable development goals. The research project “Contested Feminist Activisms and Finland’s Changing Gender Equality Partnerships in Development Cooperation” is an exciting opportunity to investigate the operations and adaptations of a Finland-funded development project on combating GBV and promoting gender equality in Bungoma, Kilifi, and Samburu counties in Kenya.

My headstart was the participation in the Development Days 2025 Conference that presented an opportunity to visit Finland, experience winter and meet in person with project colleagues at the Global Development Studies, University of Helsinki.

Methodology

Using cross-sectoral ethnographic methodologies, the project examines how Finland’s gender equality programs and projects negotiate the increasingly conservative anti-gender dynamics in Kenya. Through qualitative interviews and unstructured observations, I interrogate how the Kenya–Finland bilateral gender equality project is responding to local and national needs in building safe and secure living conditions for women and girls. It has been exciting as a researcher to conduct in-depth and narrative interviews with women and men making a difference in the communities that continue to navigate socio-cultural barriers to tackling gender-based violence.

Fieldwork in Bungoma started in August 2025. The rural setting where the research is being conducted is defined by communities engaging in agriculture and market activities  amid erratic climate conditions as observed by the researcher during the recent field visits and captured in the picture here below.

GBV prevention and response is shaped by multi-level actors

The context has multiple actors representing national to community level that shape the decision making and effort to end gender-based violence. The community continues to grapple with gender-based violence especially, female genital mutilation (FGM), early marriage, teenage pregnancies, sexual abuse and domestic violence, practices weaved into the social-cultural fabric. There have been multiple development partner led initiatives over the years, yet as at 2022 Bungoma County was leading in GBV (KDHS, 2022).

The multi-stakeholder approach used by the bilateral project strengthens prevention and response to gender-based violence in Kenya. As illuminated in one of the interviews, ”Coming together we as only elders/community leaders, we won’t achieve there are other people who are involved and …women because they are the ones that mutilate. So, we took women … we have involved everyone we have involved politicians, we have involved the government.” (Key informant, Bungoma County)

The capacity building through training, linkages for referral and economic empowerment are key outputs from the project. The closure of the project in early 2024, however, dampens the hope to sustain the gains made towards ending gender-based violence. The qualitative research continues with goal to generate new knowledge to inform policy and practice.