What global trend shows women underrepresented in leadership?

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Global Underrepresentation of Women in Leadership Roles Persists

Globally, women constitute 41.2 per cent of the workforce but hold only 28.1 per cent of leadership positions, indicating a significant and persistent gap. This disparity is particularly pronounced in high-growth sectors like STEM, where women, despite making up almost a third of graduates, account for merely 14 per cent of leaders. Recent data reveals a concerning regression in leadership parity, with the proportion of women appointed to senior leadership roles declining for three consecutive years since its peak in 2022.
Decline in Senior Leadership Appointments

The share of women in newly appointed senior leadership positions has seen a downward trend. After reaching a high of 34.8 per cent in 2022, this figure has fallen for three consecutive years, dropping to 32.8 per cent by the first quarter of 2025. This indicates a reversal in the progress towards gender balance in top-tier management roles.
Shrinking Representation on Boards

Similar to senior leadership appointments, the representation of women on corporate boards has also decreased. The percentage of board seats held by women declined from 17.2 per cent in 2020 to 14.2 per cent in 2024. This contraction suggests a broader challenge in achieving gender parity at the highest levels of corporate governance.
Impact of Labour Market Conditions

Evidence suggests that during periods of labour market tightening, the hiring of women into leadership positions experiences a disproportionate decline. This trend is especially noticeable in industries where women are already a minority. Such dynamics highlight how economic conditions can exacerbate existing gender imbalances in leadership.
Projected Timeline for Gender Parity

At the current pace of progress, achieving global gender parity in leadership is a distant prospect. Projections indicate that it will take an estimated 123 years to close the overall global gender gap. More specifically, it is estimated to take 135 years to close the economic gender gap and 162 years to close the political empowerment gap.

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What global trend shows women underrepresented in leadership?

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