Financial Availability and Its Influence on Women’s Economic Empowerment in Kakamega County, Kenya

Abstract

The relationship between women’s financial allocation and women’s economic empowerment is a crucial and complex household matter with global implications. However, UNICEF report designates that 65% of women aged 35 to 59 are underprivileged, compared to 56% of men in the same age group. A significant challenge in women’s economic empowerment is the limited financial availability resources that women often face, particularly in marginalized and low-income communities. However, since devolution, Kakamega County government has shown significant efforts to contribute to women's economic empowerment according to Article 260 of the 2010 Constitution; women are recognized as a marginalized group, necessitating affirmative action to promote their advancement. This study examined the influence of financial availability on women's economic empowerment in Kakamega County. The specific objective was to examine the influence of women’s financial availability on women’s economic empowerment in Kakamega County, Kenya. This study was anchored on Empowerment and Financial Inclusion theory. This study adopted cross-sectional research design and targeted a population of 994 women groups registered by the department of gender and social services Kakamega County. Purposive and systematic sampling technique in line with Mugenda and Mugenda (2013) formula was used to sample nine hundred and ten (910) (30) women. Primary data was collected by use of a survey questionnaire and interview schedule. The collected data was analyzed by descriptive methods, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The study revealed that financial availability have a significant positive effect on the economic empowerment of women groups in Kakamega County, Kenya, (P-value=0.000<0.05) as their null hypotheses were rejected. This study recommended that woman groups should embrace and utilize these financial availability strategies to improve their economic status and their socio-well-being. Similarly, this study recommended for funding to women’s empowerment programmes, especially in interior rural areas in collaboration with the private sector to provide more financial opportunities for both women in groups and those women who may not be particularly in women groups (chamas).This study recommends for a comparative study be undertaken between women headed households and male headed households in empowerment groups.