Correlates of Women’s Participation in Higher Educational Leadership in Mogadishu, Somalia
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Date
2025-06
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Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
The involvement of women in leadership roles, particularly in higher education,
remains a global concern. Progress reports on the achievement of the sustainable
Development Goals, especially SDG 5, highlight insufficient progress toward
gender equality by 2030, with women still underrepresented in decision-making
positions. This study examined the factors influencing women's participation in
higher educational leadership within Mogadishu, Somalia. Anchored on social
feminist theory, the study employed a correlational research design to explore the
following research objectives: to assess the relationship between social-cultural
factors and women's involvement in higher educational leadership, to determine
the relationship between mentorship and women's involvement in higher
educational leadership, to examine the relationship between networking and
women's involvement in higher educational leadership, to establish the relational
role between institutional practices and women's involvement in higher educational
leadership in universities within Mogadishu. The target population included 146
deans, HoDs, directors, and faculty members. A census approach was used to
sample all the participants. Although the final number of participants was 97 due to
security challenges, this sample was still considered sufficient for drawing
meaningful conclusions within the scope of the accessible universities.Data
collection involved questionnaires for faculty members and interviews with deans.
Piloting of the research instruments was conducted in 2 Universities within
Mogadishu. The participants that took part in the pilot exercise were excluded from
the final study. Content validity was established through expert judgment by the
supervisors. The internal reliability of the instruments was established through test retest methods after which the Cronbach Alpha was computed. Cronbach's alpha
values ranged from 0.766 to 0.879, confirming reliability. Pearson correlational
analysis were used. Findings indicate that sociocultural factors (r = -0.631, p <
0.05) and institutional practices (r = -0.670, p < 0.05) negatively impact women’s
participation. Meanwhile, mentorship (r = 0.643, p < 0.05) and networking (r =
0.669, p < 0.05) significantly enhance it. Thematic analysis highlights gender based discrimination, male dominance, and lack of female role models as barriers.
Some respondents believe men outperform women due to experience, while others
argue leadership depends on skill, not gender. Though some universities have
equal opportunity policies, male-dominated hiring committees and societal norms
hinder women's career advancement. The study concludes that sociocultural
barriers and institutional practices significantly hinder women’s participation,
while mentorship and networking opportunities enhance it. It recommends that
university management discourage gender stereotyping, implement mentorship
programs, promote women’s leadership through training, and address institutional
biases. Future research should explore women’s leadership in other sectors beyond
higher education.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted In Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Award of Degree of Masters of Education (Educational Administration) in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning of Kenyatta University June 2025
1. Daniel Otieno Okech
2. Damaris Kariuki