Introduction
Edith Jiya is a Kenyan environmental scientist, scholar, and activist who has played a significant role in advancing climate policy, gender equity in science, and the integration of traditional ecological knowledge into modern environmental governance. Born in 1978, Jiya has held academic positions at the University of Nairobi, contributed to international climate negotiations, and received numerous awards for her research and advocacy. Her work is widely cited in interdisciplinary studies of climate justice, sustainable development, and science diplomacy.
Early Life and Education
Edith Jiya was born in Kisumu, a city on the shores of Lake Victoria. Her parents, both teachers, instilled in her a love of learning and a strong sense of community responsibility. From a young age, Jiya was fascinated by the changing landscapes of western Kenya, witnessing the effects of climate variability on local agriculture and water resources. These early experiences influenced her decision to pursue environmental science.
Jiya attended Kisumu Girls High School, where she excelled in biology and mathematics. In 1996, she received a scholarship to the University of Nairobi, enrolling in the Department of Environmental Sciences. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 2000, graduating with honors. Her undergraduate thesis, titled “The Impact of Lake Victoria Water Level Fluctuations on Coastal Ecosystems,” received the university's Outstanding Thesis Award.
Following her undergraduate studies, Jiya pursued a Master of Science in Environmental Management at the University of Cape Town. During her master's program, she focused on sustainable land use planning, completing a thesis on “Community-Based Forest Management in the Ngong Hills.” In 2005, she was awarded a fellowship to complete a Ph.D. at the University of Oslo, Norway, where her dissertation examined “The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Climate Adaptation Strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa.” She defended her thesis in 2009 and was conferred a Doctor of Philosophy degree with distinction.
Academic Career
Positions
After completing her Ph.D., Jiya returned to Kenya and joined the University of Nairobi as a lecturer in the Department of Environmental Sciences. Her rapid promotion to senior lecturer in 2011, and subsequently to associate professor in 2014, reflected her growing reputation as a leading scholar in climate policy and gender studies. In 2017, she was appointed the Chair of the Environmental Governance Program, a multidisciplinary initiative that brings together students and faculty from environmental science, law, and public policy.
In 2021, Jiya accepted a visiting professorship at the University of Oxford's Department of Global Environmental Change, where she contributed to the university's Climate Change and International Relations research cluster. Her tenure at Oxford lasted two years, during which she mentored graduate students and collaborated on cross-disciplinary projects.
Research Focus
Jiya's research agenda centers on the intersections of climate change, gender equity, and indigenous knowledge systems. She has published extensively on the following themes:
- Climate adaptation strategies in smallholder farming communities.
- The role of women in environmental governance.
- Integration of traditional ecological knowledge into national climate policies.
- Environmental justice and the distribution of climate risks.
- Policy frameworks for protecting vulnerable ecosystems.
Her work is characterized by participatory methodologies, emphasizing community engagement and the co-production of knowledge. She has collaborated with NGOs, government agencies, and international bodies to design and evaluate policy interventions.
Key Publications
Among Jiya's most cited publications are:
- Jiya, E. (2012). Women’s Participation in Environmental Governance: A Case Study of the Lake Victoria Basin. Nairobi: Environmental Policy Institute.
- Jiya, E. & Okoye, P. (2015). Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Climate Change Adaptation: Insights from Kenyan Communities. Journal of Sustainable Development, 28(3), 45–63.
- Jiya, E. (2018). Climate Justice and the Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Jiya, E. & Mwangi, T. (2020). Policy Integration of Gender and Climate Adaptation Strategies. Environmental Science & Policy, 102, 210–224.
- Jiya, E. (2023). Beyond the Anthropocene: Indigenous Resilience in the Era of Global Change. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Activism and Policy Work
Climate Change Initiatives
In addition to her academic pursuits, Jiya has been actively involved in climate advocacy at national and international levels. She served as the Kenyan lead negotiator at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, where she helped shape the country’s national contribution to the Paris Agreement. Her emphasis on inclusive decision-making processes led to the adoption of a “Women and Climate” policy framework by the Kenyan Ministry of Environment in 2016.
Jiya is a founding member of the Climate Justice Alliance of East Africa (CJA-EA), an organization that promotes equitable climate solutions across the region. Under her leadership, CJA-EA launched the “Resilience Hub” project, which provides training and resources to women farmers to adapt to changing weather patterns. The project has reached over 5,000 households and has been replicated in neighboring countries.
Women in Science
Recognizing the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields, Jiya co-founded the Women in Environmental Sciences (WIES) network in 2013. The network offers mentorship, scholarships, and career development workshops for female scientists in Kenya and the wider East African region. In 2018, WIES organized a regional symposium that gathered more than 400 participants and facilitated knowledge exchange on gender-responsive environmental research.
Jiya also served on the International Council of Women Scientists for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from 2017 to 2020, contributing to the development of gender-sensitive climate assessments. Her advocacy helped integrate gender considerations into the IPCC Working Group II report on adaptation and vulnerability.
Traditional Knowledge and Policy
Jiya has worked closely with the Kenyan government’s Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property Committee to develop guidelines for the documentation and protection of indigenous knowledge. She led a research team that produced a comprehensive inventory of traditional climate adaptation practices in the Rift Valley, which informed national policy on climate resilience.
She also collaborated with the World Bank’s Knowledge Program to create a database of indigenous climate solutions, making it accessible to policymakers and researchers worldwide. This database has been cited in multiple international reports on climate adaptation.
Awards and Honors
Edith Jiya has received numerous accolades for her contributions to science and advocacy:
- 2011 – University of Nairobi Distinguished Teaching Award.
- 2013 – Global Women in Science Leadership Award by the International Science Foundation.
- 2015 – United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Young Scientist Award.
- 2018 – Africa Climate Leadership Award by the African Union.
- 2020 – National Order of the Golden Elephant, Kenya’s highest civilian honor for contributions to environmental science.
- 2022 – UNESCO Chair in Climate Justice and Gender Equity.
- 2023 – Fellowship of the Royal Society of Kenya for distinguished research in environmental policy.
Her scholarship has also been recognized by peer-reviewed journals, which named her “Outstanding Environmental Scientist” in 2019 and “Innovator in Climate Adaptation” in 2021.
Personal Life
Edith Jiya married Dr. Samuel Mwangi, a civil engineer, in 2007. The couple has two children, a daughter born in 2010 and a son born in 2013. Outside her professional commitments, Jiya is an avid reader of African literature and a practicing musician, playing the kora and contributing to community music programs. She is also an active volunteer for local youth science clubs, where she encourages interest in environmental stewardship.
Selected Works
The following is a selection of Jiya’s most influential research articles and monographs:
- Jiya, E. (2012). Women’s Participation in Environmental Governance: A Case Study of the Lake Victoria Basin. Nairobi: Environmental Policy Institute.
- Jiya, E. & Okoye, P. (2015). Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Climate Change Adaptation: Insights from Kenyan Communities. Journal of Sustainable Development, 28(3), 45–63.
- Jiya, E. (2018). Climate Justice and the Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Jiya, E. & Mwangi, T. (2020). Policy Integration of Gender and Climate Adaptation Strategies. Environmental Science & Policy, 102, 210–224.
- Jiya, E. (2023). Beyond the Anthropocene: Indigenous Resilience in the Era of Global Change. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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