In a landmark move to advance gender equality and strengthen wildlife conservation, WWF Kenya, in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA), has launched a transformative initiative aimed at elevating the role of women within Kenya’s community ranger workforce.
The announcement was made during national commemorations marking the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, drawing attention to the vital role of rangers as frontline defenders of Kenya’s rich biodiversity.
The initiative comes in response to the newly released Kenya Community Ranger Perception Survey 2024, which highlights pressing challenges faced by rangers, including limited access to professional training, inadequate equipment, and inconsistent working conditions. Conservation leaders caution that these persistent barriers are hampering the effectiveness and resilience of Kenya’s conservation efforts.
“Currently, women account for just 6 percent of community rangers. We must work to increase this to at least a third, in alignment with the constitutional mandate for gender equality,” said Mohamed Awer, CEO of WWF Kenya. “Women bring indispensable skills, diverse perspectives, and innovative approaches that enrich ranger operations and ultimately deliver better outcomes for people, wildlife, and ecosystems.”
The new initiative seeks to spark national dialogue on gender inclusivity in conservation, while fostering a supportive environment that enables all rangers—regardless of gender—to thrive in their mission to protect nature, enhance community livelihoods, and bolster local economies.
Linet Misiko, Chief Operating Officer of KWCA, emphasized the importance of investing in ranger training and capacity building.
“There is an acute need to upskill community wildlife rangers,” Misiko noted. “The high cost of proper training presents a significant challenge for many emerging conservancies, leaving rangers ill prepared to address the complex realities on the ground.”
WWF Kenya and KWCA are now calling on policymakers, development partners, and private sector actors to support the creation of a more inclusive, well-trained, and well-equipped ranger workforce—one that fully embraces the talents and potential of women.
As the conservation sector faces increasing pressures from climate change, human-wildlife conflict, and shrinking natural habitats, experts agree that empowering women and strengthening ranger capacity is not just a matter of fairness—it’s a strategic imperative for the future of Africa’s natural heritage.
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