A lot more policy and community support needed to widen womens’ leadership pathways: survey
Respondents to a survey by EdelGive Foundation say the representation of women in corporate leadership is not progressing at a pace that can drive transformative change. The survey — A Study on Pathways to Leadership for Women in Finance and Economics — covered 60 people from corporate, development and academic sectors, with over 95% being women in leadership roles.
Highlighting the slow progress in women’s leadership roles in India, the survey notes that 100 of 2,000 (5%) companies listed on the National Stock Exchange have women CEOs.
It quotes the differences across sectors mentioned in the Global Gender Gap study. In 2022, the development sector had the highest proportion (47%) of women in senior levels, while the manufacturing sector had a much lower percentage of women leaders (19%). The year 2023 saw the healthcare sector with the highest percentage (50%) of women in senior-level leadership. Manufacturing sector had 25%. In the midst of this, the finance and economics sectors have shown incremental progress, with representation rising from 22% to 24% between 2019 and 2021.
Key findings
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Many of the participating women leaders in the EdelGive Foundation’s research consider family and societal support as critical parameters. Increasing responsibilities at work denotes, for them, the need for increased support from families and spouses. Apart from this, gender roles and personal inhibitions also lead to lower negotiation, assertiveness and more reluctance to accept roles involving travel or relocation. It amplifies the societal expectation barriers women already carry.
The report says career priorities of
