The African Gender and Media Initiative Trust (GEM) is a research organization that works
to advance gender equality through research and action on women’s human rights. GEM
Trust began as a research arm and a reservoir of knowledge and information for the African
Women and Child Feature Service (AWCFS) media content development but has since
grown to a fully-fledged registered organization. GEM Trust brings together women experts
in women’s human rights issues specifically women’s health, sexual and reproductive rights,
economic empowerment, media advocacy and research. The advocates came together in
response to the need for evidence-based programming in women’s human rights work in
Kenya and Africa. As a women’s rights organization, GEM Trust is driven by the principle of
human rights and works to ensure that these rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled.
Our Core areas Sexual reproductive health and rights- to create awareness and build
capacity among communities and health care workers; conducting national, regional, and
international advocacy to ensure a conducive environment for the realization and fulfilment
of SRHR of women and girls Gender based violence- to prevent occurrence, supporting
access to services and justice for survivors to ensure dignity is restored in their lives.
Over the years GEM Trust has grown in programme, human resources and grant/income
portfolio. This growth has continued to support the core thematic areas of sexual
reproductive health and rights, GBV, research and media advocacy. In terms of thematic
areas GEM Trust in its current strategic plan, added Climate justice as a thematic area. This
addition was informed by emerging issues during project implementation on sexual
reproductive health and rights and gender-based violence. The effects of climate change
disproportionately affect women and girls making them vulnerable to violence and negative
sexual reproductive health outcomes.
GEM Trust’s work has grown over time from a limited coverage across the country to
working in over 10 counties. On Advocacy, GEM Trust works has grown beyond the country
boarders to the regional space through engagements with East African Legislative
Assembly, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, to the global level
through the engagement with Universal Periodic Review Mechanism and CEDAW. GEM
Trust has further expanded research work beyond the borders through the cross boarder
FGM study in five Eastern Africa Countries and hosting the 7 th edition of the Africa
Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health in 2019.
GEM Trust has grown it networks and is a member of FEMNET, Sexual Reproductive Health
Alliance -Kenya, The Kenya Stakeholders coalition on the Universal Peer Review
Mechanism- where is convenes the women rights thematic group. These networks provide
an opportunity to synergize advocacy actions with like-minded organizations. Through its
collaboration with various ministries GEM Trust is member of technical working groups
convened by the National government and County government, namely, Gender Sector
working group (GBV)working group convened by State Department of Gender and
affirmative Action, Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health technical working group and the
National Technical working group on School Health co-convened by Ministry of Health and
Education.
