Media personality Liz Jackson has sparked a conversation about the everyday experiences faced by Kenyan women, highlighting seven issues she says are often overlooked.
In a post shared on her Instagram page, Jackson titled her list “What a regular Kenyan woman goes through, and no one talks about it.”
She then outlined seven experiences, ranging from harassment in public spaces to menstrual hygiene and unwanted advances while accessing government services.
1. Harassment in the CBD
Read Also
Jackson highlighted the experience of women being catcalled and harassed by hawkers and touts in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
She said some women are also insulted when they choose not to respond to greetings or advances.
The issue has previously attracted attention, with Jackson herself discussing different forms of physical and verbal abuse that women encounter in Nairobi’s CBD.
2. Government focusing on sex instead of period care
Jackson questioned the focus on sexual health initiatives while menstrual products remain unaffordable for some women.
She pointed to free condoms being distributed in some campuses while sanitary towels remain difficult to afford for some students.
A 2025 UNFPA policy brief, citing the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, reported that 52 per cent of girls in urban areas and 65 per cent in rural areas experienced difficulty accessing sanitary products.
3. Women’s health is expensive
Jackson also raised concerns about the cost of reproductive healthcare.
She argued that reproductive health conditions affecting women are not adequately covered by many insurance policies, leaving some patients to meet significant medical expenses themselves.
The 2022 KDHS reported that only about one in four Kenyans had some form of health insurance, highlighting the wider challenge of healthcare financing.
4. Driving school can be uncomfortable for women
Jackson said driving school can also become uncomfortable for female learners.
She claimed some instructors can be unprofessional, inappropriate or unnecessarily difficult with women learning to drive.
“I shouldn’t have to flirt to get my licence.”
Her point focused on the need for professional boundaries between driving instructors and learners.
5. The invisible burden of constantly staying alert as a woman
Jackson described the constant calculations some women make when moving around.
She said women may think about what to wear, where to walk and what time to leave because of concerns about harassment or unwanted attention.
6. Accessing government services can come with unwanted advances
Jackson said women can also encounter unwanted advances when seeking government services.
She recalled going to apply for an identification document and being addressed by a chief with the words:
“Sasa mrembo.”
7. Why are sanitary bins still missing from public toilets?
Jackson’s final point focused on sanitary disposal facilities.
She noted that conversations about menstrual health often centre on access to sanitary towels, while less attention is given to what happens after they are used.
She said women can sometimes be left carrying used sanitary products while looking for somewhere to dispose of them because some public institutions lack sanitary bins.
