From children minders to the corner office: How women in Kenya are stepping up in conservation

It was an exciting, though shocking, appointment. For the first time since 1946, when the country’s first national park was established, the grueling task of protecting Kenya’s wild flora and fauna on land and sea—including endangered elephants and black rhinos—and the leadership of 1,500-plus armed rangers rested in a woman’s hands. 

A history of inequality  

That their colleague was cloistered in a small education office was rooted in a long history of patriarchy within Kenya’s disciplined forces. 

While her peers soared, the equally competent education warden was compelled time and again to plead against promotions and transfers to stations where her seniority and capabilities could be better exploited. A different, more compelling duty called: She was a wife, mother, and homemaker.    

Difficulties recruiting women rangers 

IFAW Africa Director James Isiche, then a young officer based at the Aberdare National Park, recalls that even though the late Director Richard Leakey resolutely set out to recruit more women into the uniformed ranks, the harsh arena of wildlife management made their inclusion and career progression extremely difficult. 

‘You couldn’t, for instance, deploy a young female officer or ranger to a remote, desolate outpost with rudimentary and communal housing, where she would be the only woman among men,’ James explains. ‘Women have needs that are unique to gender. They require privacy and safety. They may be mothers. 

‘Their posting was, therefore, limited to a handful of safe urban spaces where social amenities such as housing, health facilities, and schooling for children were available, which severely curtailed their inclusion and career growth.’  

Gender and development expert Eva Komba argues that while wildlife conservation was male-dominated in part by the harsh environment in remote national parks, it was also aided by patriarchy and the absence of inclusive workplace policies.  

‘Allocating women wardens “soft” roles like education was both an assumption and a stereotype,’ says Eva, who is also a board member of the Pastoralist Child Foundation. ‘Fortunately, attitudes and mindsets are shifting, policy is changing practice, and advocacy efforts are pushing women to challenge myths and stereotypes. Young women in conservation now have strong role models. They are scaling barriers.’ 

A future for women in conservation 

This mindset appears to have emerged after the ground-breaking Beijing Women’s Conference, which sought to eliminate discrimination, address inequalities, and empower women. 

Indeed, when Nancy Kabete was appointed KWS Deputy Director in charge of wildlife security 24 years after the historic conference, she was standing on the shoulders of giants. One is the imposing Ann Kahihia, a brilliant officer who became the first female game warden to manage one of the six major Kenyan national parks. She rose to Regional Assistant Director, overseeing an ecosystem spanning several game parks.  

By then, gender equality had become mainstream, and women were allocated a set quota during ranger and officer cadet recruitment. In recent years, some governments have also improved social amenities in marginalised areas, making it easier for women officers to serve. According to Eva, this is a big win for conservation. 

‘Women leaders bring significant benefits to conservation, because they are often adept at building relationships and fostering trust with the communities neighbouring national parks,’ she explains. ‘They are effective communicators and advocates who raise awareness and mobilise support for conservation initiatives.’ 

While gender equality as enshrined in the 2010 Kenyan constitution remains difficult to attain—only 150 KWS women rangers were recruited in 2024, compared to 1,350 men—the journey from the education center to the conservation corner office is no longer an impossible feat for women officers. 

How IFAW supports rangers 

IFAW rallies global support to improve ranger housing and welfare in Africa’s game parks and community-owned wildlife conservancies. We also support women’s involvement in conservation and the ranger force, including through Team Lioness, one of the first all-women ranger units in Kenya.