Huawei to put more women in senior roles

Huawei Kenya will streamline its hiring policies to boost female participation in top leadership across the firm’s departments.

The company said the Women in Technology (WITH) programme is part of the firm’s deliberate efforts to help women of all cadres and backgrounds to also pursue careers in technology-related fields through various mentorship programmes.  

Huawei Technologies Kenya CEO Stone He said the company has taken up the challenge to increase women participation in decision making as well as management through hiring and training of more female IT professionals.

“To boost women in technology requires giving them more opportunities to do so. However, we are not doing so well. That is why we have come up with the Women in Technology Huawei (WITH) programme,” said He.

The programme’s lead Maureen Mwaniki said the initiative seeks to increase the number of women in IT.

“Currently, the share of women in tech at Huawei Kenya stands at 25 per cent, but we seek to take it to 40 per cent in the next few years,” she said.

eMentoring Africa Founder and Director Esther Muchiri said more resources should be channelled towards women’s mentorship. “Other than not believing in themselves, most women do not believe in each other. This needs to change,” she said.