INTEGRATING GENDER INCLUSIVE INTERVENTIONS IN THE KENYAN ONE HEALTH REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR EFFECTIVE ZOONOSES MANAGEMENT

While it is generally held that zoonoses lead to a significant public health burden on human beings worldwide, attributed to the human-animal-environment interface, recent studies show that there are gendered dynamics in zoonotic risks and exposures. These dynamics have become a global issue with countries such as Kenya being affected. In Kenya, gender differences play an important role in the exposure and severity of these infections due to men and women taking up different occupational, socially, and culturally constructed roles, behaviours, and attributes. Since zoonoses operate at the nexus of human, animal and environmental health, the One Health (O.H) approach provides an appropriate framework for addressing gendered vulnerabilities. However, Kenya’s O.H regulatory instrument remains largely ‘gender blind’ as analysed through the UN Gender Results Effectiveness Framework (GRES). The lack of a gender sensitive O.H framework affects the surveillance, response, and control of zoonoses. Therefore, this paper, drawing on literature review, doctrinal analysis and eight key informant interviews from the gender, epidemiological, veterinary, health, environmental and legal disciplines, argues that having a gendered O.H framework would be an integral part in contributing towards a more transdisciplinary and holistic approach. The key findings from the study show that Kenya is among the countries suffering from gendered risks and exposure to zoonoses and that the country’s O.H framework is yet to adequately address this dimension of zoonoses. The paper makes a strong contribution by bringing a gender lens to O.H governance in Kenya. Conclusively, the paper finds that integrating gender-responsive provisions into O.H regulatory frameworks would greatly improve zoonoses management.