Men Sweeping? Women Inheriting? Kenya Shakes Up Gender Roles

Oct 30, 2019 | Caroline Wambui
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It’s early morning and Moses Njiru 43, has an array of household chores lined up before heading to his job as a cattle broker. 

Dressed in gray trousers and a white undershirt, Njiru starts by sweeping his compound, while whistling a popular tune. Later he washes the dishes, does the laundry and fetches firewood - all jobs traditionally done by women. 

With his wife working as a schoolteacher - and now pregnant with their second child - he thinks it’s only fair to share the workload. 

Njiru isn’t the only one adjusting his views on what is “proper” work for men and women, as his community in Embu County - and others across Kenya - try to share work and opportunities more equally in an effort to cut poverty and improve resistance to climate change threats.