Issues that Impact Gender Equity in All East African GTL Countries

• Deep-rooted social and cultural biases and discriminatory practices traditionally led to preferring boys over girls in education.  
• Gender-biased discrimination in households; also the threat of sexual exploitation of young girls on the way to school induces families to keep girls at home.  
• Early marriages and pregnancies are hindrances.   
• HIV/AIDS forces girls out of school to work and care for sick relatives.
• Economic and socio-cultural factors have increased gender and regional disparities.  
• Women’s output is not properly valued.  Women are overburdened by work such as producing for markets.  They bear the load of domestic tasks, including collecting water and firewood, especially in rural areas.  The women’s double workday indirectly hampers them from improving their knowledge, participating in community affairs or developing their own capacities or even new business ventures.  This keeps them dependent upon men and vulnerable to poverty.

Sources of this information are: www.ciagov and www.undggov.org