In October 2026, The Oslo Center (TOC) will facilitate the establishment and development of two women’s political networks in Kenya, bringing together representatives from six political parties to strengthen collective advocacy and advance reforms affecting women’s participation in electoral politics.

The initiative forms part of WYDE Political Parties, led by the European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP) and funded by the European Union.

Despite progress in promoting women’s political participation, structural barriers continue to affect their ability to secure nominations, finance electoral campaigns and compete effectively for political office.

Recognising that many of these challenges extend beyond individual political parties, the initiative seeks to strengthen collective advocacy and coordinated action among women political leaders, creating spaces for cooperation around shared reform priorities.

Two structured networks will be supported through the programme. The Broad-Based Women Network will bring together representatives from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Kenya African National Union (KANU), while the United Opposition Women Network will include representatives from Wiper Democratic Movement, Jubilee Party and Democracy for the Citizens’ Party (DCP).

Each network will bring together 15 women representatives, with five participants from each political party.

The initiative will begin with separate residential retreats, during which participants will work on establishing their networks’ organisational structures, terms of reference, operating procedures and coordination mechanisms.

These initial sessions will be followed by structured working meetings aimed at developing joint policy statements and practical recommendations on five priority areas:

• Improving the identification and recruitment of women candidates.
• Addressing barriers to campaign financing.
• Reforming internal party nomination processes.
• Exploring joint campaign strategies.
• Preventing and responding to violence against women in politics.

By bringing together women from different political backgrounds, the programme aims to strengthen their collective bargaining power within party structures and create opportunities for coordinated advocacy on issues that affect women across the political spectrum.

The expected outcome is not simply the creation of new networks, but the development of functional platforms capable of advancing shared policy priorities and supporting institutional reforms that improve women’s electoral competitiveness.

Through this initiative, WYDE Political Parties continues to support women’s political leadership, strengthen cross-party cooperation and encourage collective approaches to building more inclusive political institutions in Kenya.

Event Details

• Activity: Joint Advocacy Models on Key Women’s Reform Issues through Coalition Networks
• Period: October 2026
• Location: Kenya
• Implemented by: The Oslo Center (TOC)
• Project: WYDE Political Parties – led by ENoP and funded by the European Union
• Participating parties: UDA, ODM, KANU, Wiper Democratic Movement, Jubilee Party and DCP
• Participants: 30 women political representatives, organised into two networks of 15 members each
• Format: Two residential retreats followed by structured working meetings
• Main topics: Women’s political representation, candidate recruitment, campaign financing, party nomination reforms, joint campaign strategies and violence against women in politics
• Expected outcomes: Establishment of two operational women’s political networks and development of joint policy statements and recommendations on priority electoral reforms.