The National Gender and Equality Commission and the International Organization for Migration have completed the framework for a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Audit of Kenya’s aviation points of entry and exit. 

The framework was developed at a fourday multi-agency technical workshop held from 6 to 9 October 2026 under IOM’s Regional Counter Smuggling Programme. Over the four days, institutions across Kenya’s aviation and border management system jointly developed the audit domains, the methodology and the data collection tools that will guide the assessment.

 Participating institutions included the Kenya Airports Authority, the Directorate of Immigration Services, the Border Management Secretariat, Port Health Services, Kenya Revenue Authority Customs and Border Control, the Kenya Airports Police Unit and Frontier Control. 

SHARED OWNERSHIP

 Representing the Commission, Commissioner Dr Margaret Karungaru called on participants to draw on their institutional expertise to develop practical audit tools that reflect the operational realities of Kenya’s aviation points of entry and exit. 

WHAT THE AUDIT WILL ASSESS

 The audit will assess the extent to which gender equality and social inclusion are integrated into workplace systems and service delivery processes across institutions operating at aviation points of entry and exit. It will identify barriers and areas that require corrective action.

 The exercise falls within the Commission’s mandate under the National Gender and Equality Commission Act, 2011 to audit the status of special interest groups and to monitor compliance with equality and non-discrimination standards in public institutions.

 The audit is expected to generate evidence to inform measures for more inclusive border management and migration governance, with particular attention to ensuring that institutional systems and services respond equitably to the needs of diverse groups.