Despite women constituting 70 percent of the health sector workforce according to global statistics, only 27 percent are in top management positions.  At this pace, it will take about 140 years for women to achieve parity in workplace leadership.

The Kenyan situation closely mirrors the global trend since women are grossly underrepresented in positions where decisions are made. Women’s underrepresentation undermines the Kenya Health Policy 2014-2030, whose overall goal is to achieve the highest possible health standards by ensuring that health services are equitable, affordable, high-quality and accessible to all Kenyans.

The Strathmore University study, ‘A Three-Dimensional Perspective on Factors Influencing the Career Advancement of Women in the Kenyan Health Sector,‘ examines how strongly personal, societal, and organizational factors interact to shape women’s experiences in the health sector.

The research was conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Muthuma, from Strathmore University’s School of Business. It was unveiled during the University’s Brown Bag session, which showcases the institution’s research and innovations by the Research and Innovation Department.

Dr. Elizabeth Muthuma makes her presentation during the Brown Bag session

The study is a result of focus group discussions conducted in Nairobi, Nakuru, and Mombasa. It engaged women in middle and senior management levels in the public, private and non-governmental organization sectors.

At the individual level, the Strathmore University study found that women are deeply motivated to lead and improve service delivery in the health sector. However, they face several challenges that make leadership advancement more challenging. Self-doubt, shaped by years of gender bias, holds back capable professionals.

“The constant balancing of work demands with family responsibilities drains time and energy needed for further training or leadership preparation,” Dr. Muthuma observed. For many, leadership becomes not only a goal but also a daily engagement with competing pressures.

The societal atmosphere is not conducive to women’s progress to top management levels in the health sector. Women navigate cultural norms that influence how they are perceived and how they perceive themselves. Many of them endure a delicate balance between professional duties and household management.

“Deep-seated gender stereotypes frame leadership as a male attribute, and this discourages women from raising up,” Dr Muthuma said. This affects how communities, colleagues and even families respond to their ambitions. Many women who pursue leadership positions are considered to be venturing beyond traditional expectations. These societal pressures greatly impede women’s advancement not only in the health sector but also in many other careers.

At the organisational level, Dr. Muthuma highlighted several workplace realities that hinder women’s ascent.  These include gendered practices that often favour men but limit women’s access to strategic roles that contribute to leadership.

Resistance from male colleagues, especially in institutions with long-standing patriarchal cultures, is a great impediment. Bullying or harassment discourages women from raising to the top management levels. Even where policies exist on paper, weak enforcement and unclear reporting pathways leave women vulnerable.

The study advocates a range of policy responses to address the inherent gender imbalance in Kenya’s health sector leadership.  It advocates the need to tackle the problem at the individual, societal and organisational levels simultaneously since these factors are deeply interconnected.

Although incremental improvements can be achieved through organisational policies, the study observes that organisational culture and leadership structures must undergo transformative change for equitable advancement of women in the health sector.

Article written by Otuma Ongalo