As the world contends with escalating challenges like climate change, armed conflicts, and economic instability, a critical issue that continues to undermine global progress is gender inequality in leadership. Women, who make up half of the global population, remain underrepresented in key decision-making roles across all sectors. In 2024, women hold only 27% of national parliamentary seats and 35.5% of seats in local governments. This year’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), one of the most significant platforms for global diplomacy, reflects this disparity: fewer than ten attendees are women out of the 139 world leaders attending.

Women’s leadership is not only a matter of fairness, but it also brings diverse perspectives and promotes inclusivity, which are key to solving complex global issues. Despite decades of international initiatives, such as the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), true gender parity is still elusive. Powerful international institutions, such as the United Nations (UN), have long made gender equality a priority, launching campaigns like HeForShe and the recent Beijing+30 review. However, according to UN Women, we still need an estimated 130 years to achieve true gender equality. While these efforts have raised awareness, progress has been frustratingly slow. The global response to gender inequality has been fragmented, focusing on symbolic gestures rather than dismantling the structural barriers that keep women from becoming leaders. As we approach the 79th session of the UNGA, the question remains: Why are so few women in leadership, and how can we change this?

Read more at: https://theowp.org/reports/breaking-the-glass-ceiling-why-women-leaders-are-key-to-global-peace/