The unwritten rules keeping Kenyan women from the top

A multi-ethnic group of business professionals listen to a presentation from a colleague during a meeting in the boardroom. Kenyan women are facing unwritten rules that quietly stall their careers, despite decades of gender mainstreaming policies, a new report has revealed. The Women in the Workplace 2025 report by McKinsey & Company shows that women enter the workforce in nearly equal numbers to men, but are far less likely to reach senior leadership. "Women encounter a 'double dip' challenge that hinders their progression into management and advancement into senior leadership roles," the report explains in parts. "First, a 'broken rung' hindering their progression into management, then a second barrier to advancement into senior leadership roles." These challenges often start with exclusion from key networking spaces and promotions tied to relocation, factors that disadvantage women. "Senior roles often felt like they were reserved for an old boys' club, and making the transition particularly challenging for women," a female Financial C-suite Executive is cited as saying. "Traditional networking methods, like golfing, didn't fit into my life due to my responsibilities with a young family," she added. According to the report, women pointed to deeply entrenched cultural expectations and the lack of gender-responsive workplace policies as key deterrents to upward trajectory. "Most managers were men, and with few female role models to turn to for guidance, I also struggled with self-esteem. This eroded my confidence and made it harder to pursue growth opportunities," said another executive. The study examined at least 182 organisations across public and private sectors in Kenya. It found steepest declines in male-dominated industries, like finance, legal, and healthcare. "In finance, women make up 50 per cent of junior roles but only 26 per cent of executives. In healthcare, the number drops from 55 per cent to 39 per cent. The legal sector maintains near parity, with women holding 59 percent of entry-level roles and 55 percent of senior jobs," McKinsey observed. McKinsey further warns that gender mainstreaming "exists in policy but not in practice." Only 15 per cent of boards track gender equity, despite 77 per cent of CEOs naming it a priority. Remote work, maternity leave and burnout as hindrances In addition, the report highlights the quieter, more personal battles many Kenyan women fight at work, such as persistent micro-aggressions, women being subtly sidelined in meetings, to having their competence questioned after maternity leave, all of which chip away at confidence and ambition. According to the report, many women are offered hybrid work arrangements, which provide flexibility for childcare and family care. However, these arrangements come with a hidden cost; a "visibility penalty" where remote workers are passed over for promotions in favour of those often in the office. For women from rural areas, minority ethnic groups, or those with disabilities, the climb is even steeper, with multiple layers of discrimination slowing advancement. Relocation requirements for promotion further disadvantage women with caregiving responsibilities. "I wouldn't want to leave my family to work in another city. Since promotions often depend on relocation, I've opted out entirely," said a senior manager in the public sector. Some women switch jobs repeatedly in search of growth. "Despite my certifications, I was stuck in routine roles. I've changed employers three times in six years to find opportunities that match my skills," said a senior manufacturing manager. Burnout also forces many mid-career women out of the leadership race. Male allyship remains rare, with few male leaders actively sponsoring women's advancement, despite evidence that such sponsorship accelerates careers. McKinsey offers several recommendations; first, fix the "broken rung" by ensuring equitable access to first-line leadership positions, institutionalise flexible work structures that support work-life integration for all employees, build mentorship networks to guide women into leadership roles and finally, embed accountability for gender outcomes at board and executive levels.

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