Advocacy
The findings of the study indicated that advocacy was quite poor and lack of it
seriously affected MSEs success and sustainability. The WGs’ MSEs had not received
strong support from the NGOs, government or donor agencies. Even those
organizations that are known to champion women’s economic empowerment and
women’s rights had not provided advocacy to most WGs. Those interviewed had only
heard of MYWO, which had not supported them in any way. Furthermore, most WGs
had not heard of other women’s organizations like the NCWK, Kenya Women Political
Caucus, Coalition on Violence Against Women, Forum of African Women
Educationist, Women’s Bureau, National Commission on status of Women, KWFT
and FIDA. It appears that the activities of these women’s organizations are urban
based and have done little to reach the rural women despite women’s economic
empowerment and rights being top on their agenda. Some of these women’s
organizations and trusts seemed to be operating in certain regions of the country only.