A recent study by the National Crime Research Center has found that Kenya's efforts to prevent women from being radicalised and recruited into violent extremist groups are being hampered by weak implementation of County Action Plans. The study, which assessed programmes aimed at preventing women's radicalisation and recruitment into violent extremism in 11 counties, found that although most counties had County Action Plans, they were rarely used as the basis for implementing prevention programmes.
The study, titled "Effectiveness of County Action Plans on the Prevention of Women's Radicalization and Recruitment into Violent Extremism" in Kenya, found that many interventions were developed in response to immediate security and community needs, with their connection to the County Action Plans largely coincidental. Researchers conducted 107 key informant interviews and 22 focus group discussions involving government officials, security agencies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders.
The study found that County Action Plan implementation remained low in most counties, resulting in fragmented interventions and weak coordination among organisations working to prevent violent extremism. Few programmes specifically targeted women, with most initiatives simply including women among their broader beneficiaries. Media campaigns emerged among the interventions considered most effective in reaching women and countering extremist narratives.
Education and awareness programmes also recorded positive results, particularly where they used trusted community structures such as chiefs' barazas, schools, religious institutions, and local media. In Isiolo, Wajir, and Garissa, for example, counter-extremism messaging was delivered through local media in languages familiar to communities. The use of community-based media, appropriate local languages, and youth-friendly broadcasting times helped increase the reach of prevention messages.
Despite the focus of the study on women, researchers found that relatively few programmes were specifically designed around the gender-specific drivers of radicalisation. Women-led organisations were found to play an important role in psychosocial support, community mobilisation, and economic empowerment. In Kwale, for example, the Agatha Foundation and Kwale Voices of Women Organization were identified as grassroots actors involved in psychosocial interventions.
Economic empowerment programmes were identified as another important tool in preventing vulnerability to extremist recruitment. However, researchers noted that their sustainability was affected by funding constraints and changing donor priorities. The study also found that women-focused community organisations helped mobilise women into self-help groups, making it easier for government agencies, development partners, and business organisations to reach them.
The study raised concerns about some law-enforcement approaches, finding that the involvement of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, particularly what respondents described as threats directed at families of people who had been recruited into extremist groups, created fear and undermined trust between communities and security agencies. The researchers concluded that such approaches could reduce the effectiveness of community-based prevention efforts.
Key points
- Weak implementation of County Action Plans is hindering efforts to prevent women's radicalisation in Kenya.
- Limited coordination among stakeholders and inadequate funding are also major challenges.
- Programmes specifically targeting women remain limited, despite the focus on preventing women's radicalisation.
