GENDER IMBALANCE IN
THE ENGINEERING
SECTOR AND THE
COUNTIES
“CLOSING THE GAP”
Eng. Christine A Ogut, Manager
(Roads)
KENYA URBAN ROADS AUTHORITY
19th ENGINEERS INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE
KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
CENTRE 9-11 MAY,2012, NAIROBI KENYA
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Background
Gender
imbalance in Engineering
Statistics in Engineering
Why Gender Imbalance
What has been done in Kenya
Opportunities
Closing the Gap
BACKGROUND
 Gender
refers to socially determined
power relations, roles, responsibilities
and entitlements for men and women;
girls and boys
 Commitment by Kenya Government to
promote gender balance in both political
and social realms
 Implementation NARC manifesto, 33%
representation of women in all sectors
& particularly in decision making
positions
BACKGROUND
 Gender
is about giving people equal
opportunity
 Commitment by Kenya Government to
promote gender balance in both political
and social realms
 At county level – Not more than twothirds of any County Assembly or
County Executive shall be of the same
gender
 Gender disparity limits women's
participation in national development
processes at various levels
BACKGROUND
 Women
constitute 50.3% of Kenyan
population
 Our Gender concern is about Gender
imbalance in Engineering- where are the
women in this male dominated field?
 This presentation is to



sensitize the conference participants on the
Gap in Gender in engineering
Provide an overview on gender imbalance in
engineering supported by statistics
Harness the opportunity to share this
challenge and provide a paradigm shift
through our collective action
STATISTICS IN KENYA
 Women
constitute 50.3% of Kenyan population
 Last year KSCE candidates ratio
 229,171 (55.65% ) boys: 159,380 (44.35%) girls
 Last year KSCE results ratio C+ & above (25%)
 60,200 (61.98% ) boys: 36,934 (38.02%) girls
 Male students: 63 points. Female students: 61
points. 42,000 qualify for university places in
public universities
 Minimum cut off for engineering B- ( Maths,
Physics ,Chemistry)
STATISTICS IN ENGINEERING
 ENGINEERS
REGISTRATION BOARD
CATEGORY
GENDER
MALE
TOTAL
FEMALE
Reg. Consulting Engineers 272 (98.2%)
5 (1.8%)
277
Registered Engineers
1298 (96.8%)
43 (3.2%)
1341
Reg. Graduate Engineers
4974 (92.3%)
413 (7.7%)
5387
Graduate Technicians
1128 (98.5%)
17 (1.5%)
1145
 INSTITUTION
OF ENGINEERS OF KENYA
CATEGORY
GENDER
TOTAL
MALE
FEMALE
Fellows
81 (98.8%)
1 (1.2%)
82
Corporate Engineers
1465 (98.6%)
21 (1.4%)
1486
Associates
99 (100%)
0
99
Graduates
1569 (96.6%)
55 (3.4%)
1624
GENDER IMBALANCE IN
ENGINEERING
Country
Latvia
%of Female
engineering
professionals
30%
Bulgaria
29.3%
Cyprus
28.6%
Sweden
25.9%
Turkey
21.0%
Italy
19.5%
Ireland
14.3%
Austria
10.0%
United Kingdom
8.7%
Source: UK Resource Centre’s analysis of
the European Labour Force Survey
(2007)
Statistics tell it all. Not only
in Kenya but world wide
concern
Girls are effectively ruling
themselves out of a degree in
Engineering by the Age of 14
UK has the lowest proportion
of female professionals in EU
states
Factors causing Gender
Imbalance include Education,
Teachers Attitudes, career
information, advice

GENDER IMBALANCE IN
ENGINEERING
Country- Kenya
%of Female
engineering
professionals
IEK
Membership
2.41
ERB
Membership
6.58
University
students
20
Kenya Urban
Roads Authority
10
City Council of
Nairobi
0%
 A look at the
Kenyan Context
 Not much has been
done as provided by
statistics
UK has the lowest
proportion of female
professionals in EU
states
Factors causing
Gender Imbalance
include Education,
Teachers Attitudes,
career information,
9
advice
WHY GENDER
IMBALANCE ?
Historical patterns of institutionalized gender
discrimination play a key role
 Low performance of girls in Maths, science &
technical subjects hinders them from joining
Engineering at University level
 Poor attitude amongst female students on
science subjects
 Career decisions on subject choices made at an
early age without students knowing the impact


10
WHY GENDER IMBALANCE ?
Engineering has relatively low standing in the
country and therefore may not be attractive to
women
 Lack of interest in science subjects ( Maths,
Physics and Chemistry) by most female students
 Heavy responsibility yet low returns i.e. an
architect would get 6% of the project cost and
an engineer 3% yet when the project fails the
Engineer is punished
 Advocacy agents missing to encourage women
into the profession
 Not much is being done to bridge the gap in
Gender imbalance in Engineering at all levels

11
WHY GENDER IMBALANCE?
Lack of career counselor to guide them
through the process
 Also lack of female role models to
demonstrate a successful career in
Engineering.
 Misconception that engineering is about
spanners – there are soft component of
engineering that are not known to the young
and potential students

WHAT HAS BEEN
DONE IN KENYA
 Gender
policy in Education 2007
 The new constitution of Kenya 2010 is a
starting point
 Several initiatives targeting women Scientist
and Engineers are in place
WEGSA - Women Engineers and Girl Scientists in
Africa initiative with UNESCO
 YWSEAfrica – Young Women Scientists and Engineers
in Africa by STEMAfrica: which provides role models
for Young Women Engineers. It holds regular forums,
provides information and sends women on attachment.
 Career counseling student women Engineers

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OPPORTUNITIES
 Bottom
up approach in advocacy for
engineering. Advance the advocacy agenda by
engaging Government, Educators and
stakeholders
 Mathematics is a compulsory subject. How can
we make other science subjects attractive
 Government available at partnership level to
improve curriculum
 Innovation and incentives to attract young
female students into Engineering
 Showcase more women Engineers to act as role
models
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OPPORTUNITIES
 Environment
provided by the new
constitution of Kenya to be exploited.
Implement the requirement of constitution
of Kenya 2010 on Gender
 Pilot projects to motivate female students
at National Schools and Provincial schools
into the Engineering field
 Set up and effectively utilize mentoring
programmes
 Introduce Engineering Clubs in schools for
Girls
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OPPORTUNITIES
 Strengthen
of IEK and ERB Governance
Structure to establish a committee on
women advisory and advocacy in
Engineering that will work towards
encouraging women into the profession
 Promote the diversity of engineering
careers available
 Experiences from other countries which
have put in place strategies to address
Gender imbalance in Engineering
 Undertake attitudinal Research on the
Kenyan Case
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CLOSING THE GAP
 Closing
the Gap in Gender Imbalance in Engineering
can be achieved through Multi- pronged approaches
 IEK and ERB will require to put in place structures
and set aside budget to facilitate redress of
Gender imbalance in Engineering
 Sensitize top decision makers
 Enhance stakeholder sensitization & capacity Building
to support women in Engineering
 Ensure gender balance in appointments in governance
& leadership
 Implement affirmative action in provision of
scholarships
17
CLOSING THE GAP
 Closing
the Gap in Gender Imbalance in Engineering
can be achieved through Multi- pronged approaches
 IEK and ERB will require to put in place structures
and set aside budget to facilitate redress of
Gender imbalance in Engineering
Together
we can, it begins with
me and continues with you. Let us
contribute towards closing the Gap
in Gender imbalance in
Engineering.
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THE END
19
Thank you…
any
questions
or
comments?