More Kenyan Couples Are Choosing to Adopt Girls Over Boys

Child adoption rates in Kenya have risen steadily over the past five years, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) 2024 report. 

Figures documented in the Kenya Vital Statistics 2024 Report highlight a preference for adopting girls and a geographical concentration of cases in urban counties. The report indicates a notable increase in adoptions, climbing from 251 in 2020 to a peak of 474 in 2023. Gender disparities have persisted, with annual adoptions of girls consistently exceeding 200. 

Boys saw their highest adoption count in 2024, totalling 225 registrations. Children aged two to five are most frequently adopted, while adoption rates are significantly lower for those under one year and over eighteen, pointing to age-related preferences among prospective parents.

Married couples account for the vast majority of adoptive parents, with fewer than ten adoptions nationwide registered by single individuals. International adoptions remain minimal, with only 12 children out of 1,968 adopted by non-Kenyans, demonstrating a predominantly domestic focus in Kenya's adoption practices.

Nairobi registers the highest number of adoptions, followed by Machakos, Kiambu, Nakuru, and Mombasa. In contrast, Busia, Bungoma, Marsabit, Siaya, Migori, and Tharaka Nithi recorded only one adoption each over five years, highlighting regional variations

Adoption in Kenya involves the permanent transfer of parental rights, aiming to provide children with emotional stability and secure family environments.