Subjection of Women to Male Dominant Behaviours in Kenya’s National Assembly of the 11th Parliament (2013-2017)

Abstract

Women constituted less than 10% of Kenyan legislators until 2013 when gender quotas were applied resulting in an increase from 7.62% in 2007 to 19.5% in 2013. The PhD study, of which this is an extract, investigated the influence of women in Kenya’s National Assembly 2013 – 2017 based on global evidence that such increases improve their legislative effectiveness. Under this, it examined the challenges women faced as a distinct minority subject to male dominant behaviours as outlined in the Critical Mass Theory (Kanter, 1977). It concludes that the behaviours were rooted in patriarchal ideology and mindsets which must be addressed to make the National Assembly less toxic for women.