Emerging Trends in Gender and Development: A Rapid Review

This study applies a rapid review methodology to synthesize empirical evidence on emerging intersections between gender and development, focusing on selected issues around: climate-smart agriculture (CSA), digital inclusion, political participation, diaspora remittances, and LGBTQ+ rights across global, African, and Kenyan contexts. The review adapts Arksey and O’Malley’s framework while incorporating refinements from Tricco et al. to balance methodological rigor with timeliness, ensuring both policy and academic relevance. Findings reveal notable progress in women’s representation, adoption of CSA practices, access to digital platforms, and utilization of remittances for household welfare. However, entrenched patriarchal norms, uneven policy enforcement, resource asymmetries, and restrictive legal frameworks continue to constrain substantive equality. The originality of this study lies in its comparative lens, which highlights how global trends translate unevenly into African and Kenyan realities, while offering context-sensitive insights into barriers and opportunities. The review’s contribution is both conceptual and practical: it advances understanding of gender-responsive strategies across multiple domains and provides actionable recommendations for dismantling structural inequities. Policy implications emphasize integrating gender-transformative metrics, scaling inclusive financing, strengthening quota enforcement, and fostering gender norm change at institutional, community, family, and individual levels to achieve substantive equality. Keywords: Gender and Development, Climate-smart Agriculture, Digital inclusion, Political participation, Diaspora remittances, LGBTQ+ rights