Dr. Jemimah Njuki is Advancing Inclusive Growth in Africa through Women’s Economic Empowerment

She currently serves as the Chief of Economic Empowerment at UN Women, where she leads the organization’s global efforts to support women’s economic rights and inclusion.

Her work focuses on ensuring that women around the world, especially in Africa, have equal access to resources, opportunities, and decision-making power in the economy.

Born and raised in Kenya, Dr. Njuki’s commitment to social justice and equality is deeply rooted in her own experience and understanding of the challenges that women and girls face, particularly in rural and low-income communities.

Her mission has been clear throughout her career: to build systems and policies that work for women and to support their full participation in economic development.

She believes that Africa’s growth and development cannot be achieved without investing in women and ensuring they are at the center of economic progress.

Before joining UN Women, Dr. Njuki held several leadership roles in international development organizations.

She served as the Director for Africa at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), where she led programs focused on gender equality in agricultural development and food systems.

At Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), she was a Senior Program Specialist and led initiatives on women’s economic empowerment and gender analysis in research.

Earlier in her career, she was the leader of the Gender and Agriculture Program at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), where she worked to integrate gender perspectives in agricultural innovation and policy.

At UN Women, Dr. Njuki’s work includes advancing policies that recognize and support women’s unpaid care work, improving access to decent jobs, increasing women’s access to land and financial services, promoting digital inclusion, and shaping gender-responsive macroeconomic policies.

She is also deeply involved in global efforts to address inequalities in the care economy, advocate for social protection systems, and support women entrepreneurs.

Dr. Njuki has also contributed significantly to knowledge and research in the development sector.

She holds a PhD in Development Studies and has authored numerous publications on gender, agriculture, and economic empowerment.

Her research has helped shape global understanding of the barriers women face and how policies and programs can be more inclusive and effective.

She has received several recognitions for her work, including awards for her leadership in gender and development, and she is frequently invited to speak at international conferences and policy forums.

Her insights continue to inform decision-makers across governments, multilateral institutions, and civil society.

Dr. Njuki is driven by the belief that when women thrive, societies prosper.

Her work is advancing women’s rights and building stronger economies and more just societies. For her, the empowerment of women is not just a gender issue—it is an economic and development imperative for Africa and the world.