Transforming the Lives of Women and Girls in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements by Increasing Awareness of their Rights

We are excited to announce that the submission to this year’s Gender Competition, Increasing Women and Girls' Rights Awareness in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements through Innovative Community-Based Approaches, by the AU-German project AWARE (Promotion of Human Rights and Women’s Empowerment in Africa )  was successfully named  as the winner in the GG2 category! This showcases our extraordinary commitment to gender equality, both within the company and in cooperation with our development partners. Especially in times where gender backlash is increasing, staying committed to advancing gender equality backed by the BMZ Feminist Development Policy is a strong signal we are proud to send. Furthermore, this important work acts as a strong contribution to BMZ 2030, by strengthening human rights in our partner countries, and contributing to social protection as well as economic empowerment, in order to reduce poverty and inequality.

Nairobi's informal settlements are home to a significant portion of the city's population and are characterized by overcrowding, limited access to basic services, and a thriving informal economy. Approximately 5 million people live in these settlements but occupy only 5% of the city’s residential land. Women and children represent the majority of this population, disproportionately shouldering the weight of economic hardship, inadequate services, and political exclusion, which exacerbate the violation of their fundamental rights. Women living in informal settlements of Nairobi, spend significantly more time on unpaid domestic and care work, which limits their ability to access paid employment and economic opportunities as well as participation in governance and decision-making processes. A 2019 Oxfam study in five Nairobi informal settlements – Mukuru, Kibera, Korogocho, Mathare and Kawangware – highlighted that women in these settlements are experiencing a huge unpaid labour burden and their participation in income-generating activities remains very low. Additionally, in many urban settlements, women and girls face limited access to essential services like clean water, sanitation, healthcare and safe housing. They are also more vulnerable to gender-based violence, exploitation and economic marginalization. In the recent past, Kenya has been grappling with an alarming and unprecedented surge in femicide, which has led to civil society lobby groups to ask the government to declare femicide a national disaster. These conditions not only deepen inequality but also violate fundamental human rights, including the rights of women and girls. In order to alleviate these hardships and achieve some financial independence, most women in the informal settlements depend on chamas (self-help groups/ women’s cooperatives), taking short-term loans to escape poverty and/or secure financial help or become self-employed. 

Against this background, Badili Africa, a Pan-African Women’s Rights Organisation based in Kenya, in collaboration with our project AWARE are implementing a project to increase awareness about Women’s rights and gender equality among women in four informal settlements in Nairobi – Mathare, Kayole, Kawangware and Kangemi. The project seeks to unpack the power structures and social-cultural dynamics that perpetuate human rights violations, leveraging informal social spaces, such as salons and chamas, as critical community-owned platforms for transformative engagement, rights-based awareness raising, and strengthening solidarity for the promotion and protection of the rights of women in informal settlements.

Why informal social spaces? 

Addressing challenges faced by women in informal settlements requires more than surface-level reforms. Structural and systemic changes are essential to dismantle the root causes of inequality, human rights violations and entrenched patriarchal norms that continue to silence and sideline women. As such, Badili Africa, in partnership with grassroots women leaders, young women, men and boys, traditional and religious leaders, launched an initiative to challenge harmful social and cultural norms that perpetuate gender-based violence (GBV) and other harmful norms that violate women’s rights. Recognizing the link between GBV, unpaid care work, weak law enforcement and limited economic opportunities for women and girls in informal settlements, this initiative is focused on addressing barriers preventing women and girls from enjoying their rights. 

Informal social spaces are not just places where women meet, they are powerful social institutions where identity, solidarity, values and influence are formed. These spaces hold trust, intimacy, and cultural legitimacy. By intentionally leveraging trusted informal social spaces like chamas and salons and engaging traditional and/or religious leaders, men and boys and community opinion shapers, the initiative is co-creating pathways for shifting attitudes, deepening accountability, and transforming harmful beliefs at their source. The communities are serving as pilot hubs for co-creating locally driven solutions that center on amplifying women's voices and leadership.

The project works side by side with local women leaders, male champions, teachers, health workers, religious figures, and young people. Co-creation is central to the project interventions and all key actions – from planning to evaluation – are done together. Forums, WhatsApp groups, neighborhood walks, and cross-sector workshops make communication easy and a collective problem-solving routine. By respecting local expertise, building capacity, and sharing decisions, Badili overcomes hesitance/resistance from conservative voices. The project welcomes both official and informal partners, cultivating lasting trust and accountability.

Results and Impact: Evidence of Gender-Transformative Change

• Direct reach: Over 3,000 women and girls trained, with measurable increases in empowerment, resource access, and civic participation.
• Policy wins: Adoption of project recommendations in two Nairobi districts led to new GBV prevention investments and better women’s health policies.
• Business growth: 30 women-owned enterprises supported through mentorship and networking, trained on financial and digital literacy and sensitized about women’s economic rights.
• Attitude change: Surveys show decreasing bias against women’s leadership and GBV, with greater male participation in support campaigns and more women participating in local elections.
• Men as allies: 20 traditional and religious leaders sensitized and equipped with skills to address violations of women and girls’ rights.
• Women and Youth leadership: Through training of trainers, over 40 women and youth leaders now lead new grassroots initiatives on promoting women’s rights, creating positive ripple effects within their communities.

Learning, Adaptation and Sustainability

Putting learning at the forefront, the project holds regular reviews and adapts quickly—whether it’s facing post-election GBV spikes or shifts in city leadership. Peer learning networks and digital platforms link communities in Nairobi and beyond for broader impact.

Sustainability is driven by:

• Dynamic alumni networks, where previous participants mentor newcomers.
• Long-term partnerships bringing in funding and linking Badili to broader city gender programs.
• Ongoing documentation and sharing of good practice, helping other African urban areas adopt the model.

The AWRAE-Badili Africa projects is a compelling example of how deeply rooted, gender-transformative work, driven by community voices and open partnerships, can create measurable, lasting change for women and girls in Nairobi’s most vulnerable communities. The project further demonstrates how regional legal and policy frameworks on gender equality and women’s empowerment can be leveraged to inform sub-national and grassroots interventions and transformative changes aimed to enhance women’s rights and general wellbeing.