Women's Professional Participation in Kenya's Justice Sector: Barriers and Pathways

Women’s Professional Participation in Kenya’s Justice Sector: Barriers and Pathways examines the different segments that make up the justice chain – the police, academia, law societies, lawyers, judges and magistrates – and the barriers that block women’s equitable and meaningful participation in them. 

The report cites the lived experiences of many women legal professionals who have tried to break into higher circles of leadership. Respondents confirm that a number of barriers prevent women’s full participation as top-tier justice professionals. 

Policy recommendations emerging from the research address recruitment, legislation, gender sensitive training, education, mentoring, and tackling sexual harassment and external factors that prevent women’s participation. It also emphasizes that the focus must turn to the internal dynamics within the sector to realize meaningful equality for women justice professionals. By illuminating the unique obstacles faced by women in Kenya’s justice sector and providing actionable policy recommendations, the report presents opportunities for positive, substantive change.