The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), in partnership with UN Women, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Global Compact Network Kenya, hosted the 2026 Ring the Bell for Gender Equality ceremony, urging Kenya’s private sector to shift from symbolic commitments to measurable action in closing gender gaps within the corporate world.
Held at the Radisson Blu Hotel Nairobi Upper Hill under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls,” the event brought together business leaders, development partners and policymakers to assess progress on gender equality in corporate leadership and workplaces.
Opening the ceremony, Lucy Kamar-Chepkurui, Head of Talent at the NSE, said the time had come for organizations to move beyond raising awareness and begin demonstrating tangible progress. “We are no longer in an era where awareness is enough. We are in the era of accountability,” she said. “We are not just ringing a bell for social justice; we are ringing it for the health and sustainability of a KSh 3.4 trillion market,” she added, referencing the exchange’s market capitalization.
Speakers at the ceremony noted that global progress on gender equality remains slow. Currently, women enjoy only 64 percent of the legal rights available to men, and at the current pace it could take 286 years to achieve full equality.
Antonia N’Gabala-Sodonon, Country Representative for UN Women Kenya, emphasized the need for structural reforms rather than broad pledges. “If we are serious about advancing rights, justice and action, we must move from general commitments to concrete, measurable actions that can be tracked and reported,” she said.
A key highlight of the ceremony was the signing of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) by Ecobank Kenya Limited and Kenya Bixa Ltd. The two companies join 167 Kenyan organizations and more than 12,000 companies globally that have committed to advancing gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and communities.
The Ring the Bell for Gender Equality initiative is a global campaign marked annually by stock exchanges around the world to promote women’s economic empowerment and encourage corporate leadership on gender-inclusive growth.
Organisers said the 2026 Kenyan ceremony served as a reminder that while the ringing of the bell is symbolic, real progress will depend on companies translating commitments into year-round action, transparent reporting and stronger representation of women across corporate leadership and decision-making roles.
