Nairobi, May 12 -- One common measure of the inclusion of women in leadership and decision-making is their proportion in cabinet and other senior public service positions. Current statistics show that only 22.4 per cent of cabinet minister positions are held by women globally. It is the same proportion in Kenya. On the continent, it rises slightly to 24.4 per cent.

A look at the distribution of women cabinet ministers shows that they are routinely placed in dockets handling gender. This pattern is evident in Kenya where the relevant ministry has always been assigned to women except in 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2005-07 when it was held by Najib Balala, Ochillo Ayacko and Maina Kamanda respectively.

This trend can be traced to 1976 when Kenya...