Gender inequality is not incidental, it is structural. It is embedded in the laws, customs and social norms that govern daily life and it is sustained by silence, impunity and the exclusion of women and girls from the decisions that shape their futures.
AfriNov's Gender Justice program confronts these root causes directly ,working with individuals, families, communities and institutions to build a world where every person is safe, valued and free to determine their own path.
Our approach is intersectional and rights-based. We recognise that gender-based injustice does not occur in isolation, it intersects with poverty, ethnicity, disability, age and geography to compound vulnerability. Crucially, our programs deliberately engage men and boys as partners and champions of change, recognising that sustainable transformation requires commitment across all gender lines.
We work across three focus areas:
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Prevention and Response
Africa recorded the highest number of femicides globally in 2023. AfriNov responds through community-level prevention campaigns, capacity building for Community Resource Persons on survivor-centred response skills, and multi-sectoral engagement forums bringing together legal advocates, health actors and community leaders to ensure accountability and healing. We address cultural and structural drivers of violence not only its symptoms.
Adolescent Rights and Protection
Teenage pregnancy, forced and early marriage and sexual exploitation remain urgent threats to girls' rights and futures, particularly in Northern Kenya, the Coast region and Nyanza. AfriNov delivers life skills training, behavioural and sexual rights awareness programs, and multi-stakeholder advocacy that prioritises girls in economically disadvantaged households, children in conflict-affected areas, and young people in informal settlements.
Women's Economic Empowerment and Leadership
Meaningful gender justice requires women's full and equal participation in economic and political life. Our programs build women's agency through entrepreneurship and business skills training, county-level mentorship forums for women leaders, and advocacy for land, property and political rights. We challenge the hidden injustices embedded in socio-cultural and structural systems while equipping women to advocate for themselves and influence change in their communities.
Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals: