Background

The Ministry has two State Departments, namely:

1. State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action

The State Department for Gender (SDG) was established in November 2015 following a re-organization of government Ministries and was 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.

Following the re-organization of Government Ministries though the Executive Order No. 2 of November 2023, the State Department of Gender and Affirmative Action (SDGAA) was established. The Department derives its mandate from the Constitution of Kenya in Articles 10, 27,60, 61, 81 and 100 among others. 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.

The Mandate of the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action according to the Executive Order No.2 of 2023 is:

• Gender Policy Management

• Special Programmes for Women Empowerment

• Gender Mainstreaming in Ministries/State Departments/State Agencies

• Community Mobilization on Gender Issues

• Domestication of International Treaties/Conventions on Gender

• Policy and Programmes on Gender Violence

• Affirmative Action Policy

• Promote equity

• Undertake a national survey on special needs

• Mainstreaming affirmative action in Ministries/Departments/Agencies

• Ensure compliance with affirmative action principles as envisaged in the Constitution.

2.  State Department for Culture, The Arts and Heritage

The State Department for Culture was formed in 1980, through a Presidential Directive and was charged with the responsibility of coordinating and promoting national cultural programmes. 

The State Department was then placed under the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage through the Executive Order No. 1 of April 2013. Shortly after through the Executive Order No. 2 of May 2013, the Department was placed under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Heritage and was mandated to among others advise the government on cultural matters, dissemination of cultural information, coordination and facilitate cultural exchange programmes for groups and individuals and offer technical support for cultural development programmes.

The Executive Order No. 1 of January 2023 placed the State Department into two Ministries: - The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts and the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage. 

The Executive Order No. 2 of November 2023, created the State Department for Culture, the Arts & Heritage which is under the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage mandated to manage policies and programmes on:- 

• National Heritage Policy and Management

• Management of Culture Policy

• Policy on Kenya’s Heroes and Heroines

• Language Management Policy

• National Archives/Public Records Management

• Management of National Museums and Monuments

• Historical Sites Management

The State Department is guided by the National Culture and Heritage Policy that was approved by Cabinet in 2021 whose main goals are to: -

• To promote understanding, appreciation and respect for cultures of the people of Kenya

• Reinforce national values, unity and pride

• Stimulate and foster creativity to secure livelihoods

• Strengthen national identity and celebrate cultural diversity and innovation, as well as protect and promote intellectual property of the peoples of Kenya.

• Provides direction for sustainable development at national and county levels while promoting unity in diversity.

• Provides the ideological and philosophical foundation for inclusive national development and guides the growth process by ensuring the participation of Kenyans in decision-making and the preservation of their cultural and natural environment for socio-economic transformation of the country.