Secretary Gender
Dr. Josephine Obonyo is the Secretary Gender at the State Department for Gender and Affirmative inthe Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage.
She is a skilled gender practitioner with in-depth knowledge, expertise and experience in the gender sector spurning over two decades.
Dr. Obonyo professes a multidisciplinary academic background and a range of professional and
management skills. She holds a Doctorate degree in Anthropology and Gender, a Masters in Gender and Development Studies, a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, and a Post-graduate diploma in Human Resource Management.
She is an accomplished researcher in the areas of gender and climate smart agriculture; value chain and gender and food security and widely published within the gender discourse with a bias towards Gender based violence, Women, Peace and Security & Women and Governance.
Her areas of expertise include Gender programming; policy development and reviews; Curricula and training manuals development; training and capacity development on gender and Inclusion; GBV ToT Case Management and SASA! training; resource mobilization, programmes and project reviewsan d evaluation; conducting baseline surveys among other areas.
Dr. Obonyo has previously held the positions as stated below:
• Director of Institute of Women, Gender and Development Studies at Egerton University,
• Gender Advisor – USAID Kenya Empowered YouthProgram: Gender Equity and Social Inclusion;
• Programme Coordinator, Christian Partners Development Agency,
• Programme manager, The League of Kenya Women Voters among others.
Prior to that she worked in both the private and education sectors.
As the Secretary Gender at the State Department for Gender Affirmative Action, Dr. Obonyo is the Principal assistant to the Principal Secretary on technical matters and head of technical functions providing leadership and overseeing functions of technical directorates.
She is also charged with overseeing, the interpretation, articulation of gender policies management, coordinating appropriation of gender related funds and promoting partnerships with development partners and stakeholders
She is a member of Women, Education Researchers of Kenya, (WERK) , University of Nairobi Alumni Association and a life member of the League of Kenya Women Voters