THE POWER OF WOMEN LEADERS
Women are powerful agents of change, and the far-reaching benefits of diversity and gender parity in leadership and decision-making are increasingly recognized in all spheres. Still, women continue to be vastly under-represented in decision-making in politics, businesses, and communities.
THE EVIDENCE
Women as leaders and decision-makers at all levels are critical to advancing gender justice and gender equality—and to furthering economic, social, and political progress for all.
- When women are meaningfully represented and engaged in leadership bodies—such as legislatures, courts, executive boards, community councils—laws, rulings, and decisions are more likely to be inclusive, representative, and take diverse views into account.
- Women’s leadership within households, including decision-making over land and household income, improves access to education and healthcare for their families.
- Countries with a greater proportion of women as top decision-makers in legislatures have lower levels of income inequality.
- Peace agreements are 35% more likely to last at least 15 years if women leaders are engaged in its creation and execution.
- When women hold more executive leadership positions, their companies are more profitable: companies in the top-quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 21% more likely to outperform the national average.