Barriers and Opportunities for Women’s Participation in Islamic Religious Practices and Institutions in Kakamega County, Western Kenya

• Author(s): Farida Namwaya Yusuf; Nelly Masayi; Margaret Matisi
• Paper ID: 1719543
• Page: 574-581
• Published Date: 07-07-2026
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 10 Issue 1 July-2026

Abstract

This study examined the barriers and opportunities for women’s participation in Islamic religious practices and institutions in Kakamega County, Western Kenya, where Muslims form a minority within a predominantly Christian population. A qualitative design was used. Data were gathered through 24 key informant interviews and four focus group discussions involving 32 participants, and were analysed thematically. Seven barrier themes were identified: domestic role expectations and time poverty, honour culture and restricted mobility, the silencing of women in mixed religious discourse, inadequate mosque infrastructure, exclusion from institutional governance, poverty and economic trade-offs, and limited knowledge of women’s rights in Islam. Four opportunity themes were identified: self-organised women’s groups, progressive interpretation and male allies, digital connectivity, and community-based re-entry pathways for marginalised women. The barriers were found to intersect, so that rural, poor and widowed women faced compounded exclusion, while urban, educated and connected women were better placed to use the available opportunities. The evidence shows that the constraints stem mainly from patriarchal culture rather than Islamic theology, and that women’s self-organised groups and digital access are reshaping participation from below. The study recommends flexible programming, investment in women’s Islamic rights education, improved mosque facilities for women, and support for women’s groups and their digital networks.

Keywords

Muslim Women; Barriers and Opportunities; Islamic Institutions; Kakamega County

Citations

IRE Journals:
Farida Namwaya Yusuf, Nelly Masayi, Margaret Matisi "Barriers and Opportunities for Women’s Participation in Islamic Religious Practices and Institutions in Kakamega County, Western Kenya" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 10 Issue 1 2026 Page 574-581

IEEE:
Farida Namwaya Yusuf, Nelly Masayi, Margaret Matisi "Barriers and Opportunities for Women’s Participation in Islamic Religious Practices and Institutions in Kakamega County, Western Kenya" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 10, no. 1, Jul. 2026

APA:
Farida Namwaya Yusuf, Nelly Masayi, Margaret Matisi (2026). Barriers and Opportunities for Women’s Participation in Islamic Religious Practices and Institutions in Kakamega County, Western Kenya. Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 10(1).

MLA:
Farida Namwaya Yusuf, Nelly Masayi, Margaret Matisi "Barriers and Opportunities for Women’s Participation in Islamic Religious Practices and Institutions in Kakamega County, Western Kenya" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 10, no. 1, Jul. 2026.

BibTeX

@article{1719543,
author = {Farida Namwaya Yusuf, Nelly Masayi, Margaret Matisi},
title = {Barriers and Opportunities for Women’s Participation in Islamic Religious Practices and Institutions in Kakamega County, Western Kenya},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {1},
pages = {574-581},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1719543.pdf},
abstract = {This study examined the barriers and opportunities for women’s participation in Islamic religious practices and institutions in Kakamega County, Western Kenya, where Muslims form a minority within a predominantly Christian population. A qualitative design was used. Data were gathered through 24 key informant interviews and four focus group discussions involving 32 participants, and were analysed thematically. Seven barrier themes were identified: domestic role expectations and time poverty, honour culture and restricted mobility, the silencing of women in mixed religious discourse, inadequate mosque infrastructure, exclusion from institutional governance, poverty and economic trade-offs, and limited knowledge of women’s rights in Islam. Four opportunity themes were identified: self-organised women’s groups, progressive interpretation and male allies, digital connectivity, and community-based re-entry pathways for marginalised women. The barriers were found to intersect, so that rural, poor and widowed women faced compounded exclusion, while urban, educated and connected women were better placed to use the available opportunities. The evidence shows that the constraints stem mainly from patriarchal culture rather than Islamic theology, and that women’s self-organised groups and digital access are reshaping participation from below. The study recommends flexible programming, investment in women’s Islamic rights education, improved mosque facilities for women, and support for women’s groups and their digital networks.},
keywords = {Muslim Women; Barriers and Opportunities; Islamic Institutions; Kakamega County},
month = {July}
}