The State Department for Gender (SDG) was established in November 2015 following a re-organization of government Ministries. It is one of the two State Departments in the Ministry of Public Service and Gender, the other being the State Department for Public Service. The State Department was created from the former Ministry of Devolution and Planning to promote gender mainstreaming in national development processes and champion for the socio-economic empowerment of women.
Previously, gender issues were handled under a division in the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development; and as a directorate under the Ministry of Devolution and Planning. The Department derives its mandate from the Constitution of Kenya in Articles 10, 27,60, 61, 81 and 100 among others and the Executive Order No. 1 of 2018. Article 10 outlines the national values and principles of governance which include equality, equity, inclusiveness and non-discrimination which provide anchorage for gender equality; and Article 27 ingrains the right to equality and freedom from discrimination.
