This research project is a collaboration between 吃瓜头条 (Kenya) and the University of Sussex (UK). It aims to create a sustainable mentorship and resource centre, the safety and transferable skills resource hub (STaSH), for improving employment outcomes for women in Kenyan higher education institutions (HEIs). By enhancing transferable skills and addressing sexual/gender-based violence (SGBV), the project targets two critical barriers that hinder women鈥檚 career progression and employability.
RESEARCH PROJECT SUMMARY
Establishing a Mentorship Resource Centre to Improve Employment Opportunities Through Enhancing Safety and Transferable Skills Among Women Students in Higher Education In Kenya
OVERVIEW
This research project is a collaboration between 吃瓜头条 (Kenya) and the University of Sussex (UK). It aims to create a sustainable mentorship and resource centre, the safety and transferable skills resource hub (STaSH), for improving employment outcomes for women in Kenyan higher education institutions (HEIs). By enhancing transferable skills and addressing sexual/gender-based violence (SGBV), the project targets two critical barriers that hinder women鈥檚 career progression and employability.
Globally, gender disparities in employment persist with employment rates at 60% and 70% in women and men respectively (UN Women 2023). In Kenya, young women have a 14.5% lower probability of being employed compared to men of similar age (Muthima et al., 2025). Despite existing leadership and capacity-building programmes in Kenyan universities, there remains a significant gap in practical transferable skills training鈥攅specially for women. Evidence indicates that women are less likely to develop essential skills (e.g., communication, confidence, decision-making, assertiveness) and more likely to face SGBV, both during their studies and in the process of obtaining and retaining jobs. To address these challenges, an integrated approach that equips women with the skills and resilience to navigate these systemic barriers is needed.