Transparency International Kenya- Empowering marginalized groups to participate in Public Finance Management and Decision-making processes Transparency International Kenya- Empowering marginalized groups to participate in Public Finance Management and Decision-making processes Over the last two years, TI-Kenya has been engaging with women, youths and PWDs in Kisumu, Siaya, Bungoma and Kakamega Counties under the Usawa Mashinani project in a bid to strengthen their capacities to engage in decision-making processes and public finance management. The project registered huge successes in terms of strengthening the capacities of women, youths and PWDs to effectively engage in public Finance management and decision-making processes through awareness creation, capacity building, lobbying for adoption of gender responsive laws and policies, strengthening partnerships and networking.  Nevertheless, huge gaps still remain.  This second phase seeks to enhance ownership of the governance processes by the marginalized groups for effective oversight and equitable distribution of resources. Additionally, the project seeks to widen its scope of action through engagement with youths and stakeholders from the TVET sector with a view of enhancing the right to Education and service delivery in the sector at the local level. The project will engage with the already established groups of women, youths and PWDs in their organized groups to address issues on access to information on public finance management and governance processes, adoption of gender responsive budgets by local governments, access to justice for rural women and Persons with disabilities particularly on matters corruption in property rights and gender-based violence.   Additionally, the project will seek to enhance engagements with networks of Persons with Disabilities, youths and women while linking them to TI-Kenya’s Coalition for good governance networks, women caucus and the Kakamega County Assembly Representative Network Against Corruption. Engagements with networks has proven to be critical particularly in ensuring follow-ups on actions, leveraging on resources and different capacities thereby ensuring sustainability.   The duty bearers will be engaged to lobby and advocate for the operationalization of the policies /laws that were enacted in the previous phase. The project takes note on the need to ensure that policies and laws are operationalized and implemented to protect the gains made and ensure sustainability. The project will also support the women caucuses in Kakamega and Siaya counties through capacity building to enable them to represent their constituent in a better way and push for more budgetary allocations to promote gender responsive budgeting Over the last two years, TI-Kenya has been engaging with women, youths and PWDs in Kisumu, Siaya, Bungoma and Kakamega Counties under the Usawa Mashinani project in a bid to strengthen their capacities to engage in decision-making processes and public finance management. The project registered huge successes in terms of strengthening the capacities of women, youths and PWDs to effectively engage in public Finance management and decision-making processes through awareness creation, capacity building, lobbying for adoption of gender responsive laws and policies, strengthening partnerships and networking.  Nevertheless, huge gaps still remain.  This second phase seeks to enhance ownership of the governance processes by the marginalized groups for effective oversight and equitable distribution of resources. Additionally, the project seeks to widen its scope of action through engagement with youths and stakeholders from the TVET sector with a view of enhancing the right to Education and service delivery in the sector at the local level. The project will engage with the already established groups of women, youths and PWDs in their organized groups to address issues on access to information on public finance management and governance processes, adoption of gender responsive budgets by local governments, access to justice for rural women and Persons with disabilities particularly on matters corruption in property rights and gender-based violence.   Additionally, the project will seek to enhance engagements with networks of Persons with Disabilities, youths and women while linking them to TI-Kenya’s Coalition for good governance networks, women caucus and the Kakamega County Assembly Representative Network Against Corruption. Engagements with networks has proven to be critical particularly in ensuring follow-ups on actions, leveraging on resources and different capacities thereby ensuring sustainability.   The duty bearers will be engaged to lobby and advocate for the operationalization of the policies /laws that were enacted in the previous phase. The project takes note on the need to ensure that policies and laws are operationalized and implemented to protect the gains made and ensure sustainability. The project will also support the women caucuses in Kakamega and Siaya counties through capacity building to enable them to represent their constituent in a better way and push for more budgetary allocations to promote gender responsive budgeting