Kenyan women speak out on their health and wellness needs in new report, demand action

• A new study is now lifting the lid on the needs of Kenyan women and what they want for their health and overall wellbeing
• The over 97,000 women who participated in the study emphasised the need for financial independence, quality healthcare, and time for self-care
• The report highlighted that Kenya’s health system focuses heavily on reproductive-age women, ignoring girls and older women
• Speaking to Https://Positivibemind.com.co.ke during the launch of the report, Angela Nguku, founder of the White Ribbon Alliance, called on the government and policy makers to respond to the voices and needs of women

Kenyan women are now speaking up about what they truly want to live healthier, more empowered lives, and the message is loud and clear.

In a newly released study, women from 44 counties in Kenya said they want better access to quality healthcare, financial independence, and the time and freedom to care for themselves without guilt.

The study from the White Ribbon Alliance organisation showed that many Kenyan women have been navigating life with silent health and wellness struggles, with no one to help them.

In Her Life Time report: What women want

The report, titled In Her Lifetime, captured the voices of more than 97,000 women across the country.

Top among their needs is financial stability and literacy, with many saying they want to be able to provide for themselves and their families. Quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare also stood out, with women sharing the daily hurdles they face when seeking medical help.

"I want to live in peace, knowing that I can get quality health care when I want and where I want it. That also means money in my hands because money can buy many things that I need for my health and wellbeing," a Nairobi-based woman said.

Kenyan women's health needs

The study showed that though Kenyan women have a clear understanding of health as the absence of illness in their bodies, many are still overlooking the importance of mental and emotional wellness.

"Women want more than just treatment for sickness; they want wellness, financial security, access to nutritious food, and dignity in healthcare. Yet, their needs remain largely unaddressed," the report indicates.

It also emerged that the healthcare system in Kenya has been biased towards women in their reproductive years, leaving pre-adolescent girls and women transitioning to menopause vulnerable.

"This is why this report is called In Her Lifetime. Its respondents were girls aged 10 to women above 65 years old. It is meant to give an all-round outlook of what Kenyan women, from pre-adolescent girls to older women, want for their health and wellbeing," said Angela Nguku, the founder of White Ribbon Alliance.

Kenyan women and self-care

According to the findings, many Kenyan women are still struggling to incorporate self-care into their day-to-day lives because some feel guilty of it, while others are too overwhelmed to even take care of themselves.

“Even I often find myself carrying so many burdens that I forget myself. So, I have seen people forget themselves, so when I think about self-care, I find it necessary to get the information to the grassroots," a Kwale woman said.

Women and girls described self-care in practical terms, such as bathing regularly, eating nutritious foods, and staying physically active.

However, holistic self-care practices that include mental health and emotional well-being were less commonly mentioned

It also emerged that the self-care needs of Kenyan women and girls differ with age and social context, as adolescent girls were more likely to focus on physical appearance and body image while middle-aged women prioritised maintaining financial stability and work-life balance as forms of self-care.

The women called on policymakers to promote self-care as a right, not a taboo, prioritise maternal and newborn health to ensure women’s wellbeing, and expand Women’s and Girls' health beyond reproduction.

Why Kenyan women's voices matter

Speaking to Https://Positivibemind.com.co.ke during the launch of the report on Thursday, July 31, Angela said they decided to research what Kenyan women need because there are not enough studies in Kenya centred on the health needs and wellbeing of women.

"There was a study done which showed that nine out of 10 Kenyan women who died died because of the poor quality of healthcare. So it got us thinking, what does quality healthcare look like to women themselves? And we went to them in the grassroots. They told us they want the policy makers and the government to understand their health needs. That is why we decided to do a study with voices of older women to young girls," she said.

Angela said the final report incorporated the raw voices of Kenyan women, as it captured their needs as they voiced them during the survey, which was done in a year.

"These findings should go a long way in improving the lives of Kenyan women. We like to think of it as a listening exercise as opposed to a survey, as we documented the voices of women as they explained them to us," Reagun Odhiambo from White Ribbon said while launching the report in Nairobi on Thursday.

Burden of unpaid care work on women

In other news, a previous report showed how Kenyan women spend an average of five hours a day in unpaid and unrecognised care work.

A gender expert explained how unpaid care work is hampering Kenyan women from productive labour and thus slowing down their economic empowerment.

She said household chores and caregiving responsibilities disproportionately fall on women, reducing their access to formal employment and income-generating opportunities.