Secretary, Gender Affairs

Ms. Faith Kasiva is the Secretary, Gender Affairs in the State Department for Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs.

Ms. Kasiva joins the State Department for Gender Affairs with a wealth of experience in gender equality and women’s empowerment gained from working with various organisations. Prior to joining the State Department for Gender Affairs, she was the Team Leader, Socio-economic Development at the UN Women, a position she has served in since June 2014 having joined from the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO) seconded as a Gender Advisor for Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Devolution and Planning.

Previously, Ms. Kasiva served as the Gender Advisor for the Core Skills Training project of Adam Smith International in the Republic of South Sudan. Before this, she served as a Teaching Assistant in Minnesota State University and also as the Executive Director of the Coalition on Violence against Women (COVAW) between 2003- 2008.

As the Secretary, Gender Affairs, she is responsible for the overall coordination of the gender function in the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs and is the head of the Technical Division in the State Department for Gender Affairs made up of four directorates namely; Gender Mainstreaming, Socio-Economic Empowerment, Gender Policy and Research and Gender Based Violence. Specifically, the Secretary, Gender Affairs is responsible for the following;

  • Overseeing and interpretation, articulation and implementation of gender policies and programmes and coordination of gender mainstreaming into the national development agenda;
  • Facilitating the review and evaluation of gender policies and programmes, promoting gender mainstreaming, socio-economic empowerment, and mitigation against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV);
  • Facilitating domestication and implementation of resolutions on gender issues emanating from international and regional treaties, protocols and conventions;
  • Promoting research and benchmarking on gender issues, overseeing implementation of gender related funds, promoting partnerships with stakeholders on gender related matters and coordinating the development and implementation of the national gender action plans in collaboration with various stakeholders;
  • Oversee the implementation of Performance Contracts and Annual Work plans for the State Department and monitor its performance. She shall also supervise, mentor and ensure the development of staff in the State Department.

Ms. Kasiva is a holder of a Master’s in Science Degree on Gender and Women’s Studies from Minnesota State University and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Egerton University.