The report calls for proportional representation of women in multilateral organisations at every level. Getty
The report calls for proportional representation of women in multilateral organisations at every level. Getty
The report calls for proportional representation of women in multilateral organisations at every level. Getty
The report calls for proportional representation of women in multilateral organisations at every level. Getty

Women took just a 10th of world's top jobs since 1945


Marwa Hassan
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Women have held 12 per cent of the top positions at 33 of the largest institutions since 1945, according to a report.

More than a third of the organisations, including the four largest development banks, have never been led by a woman, said the study by GWL Voices for Change and Inclusion.

Five have had a female president once in their history, including the current head of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The study listed 13 institutions that have never been headed by a woman since the end of the Second World War, including the World Bank, the UN, the International Atomic Energy Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

The report, which will be released during this week’s meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, calls for proportional representation of women in multilateral organisations at every level, from field offices to headquarters, in secretariats and governing bodies.

Maria Fernanda Espinosa, a former Ecuadorean foreign minister who served as president of the UN General Assembly from 2018-2019, said: “The truth is that numbers matter.

“But I also believe that women bring this combination of leadership, wisdom and empathy, and sometimes an even greater understanding of what is happening in the world.”

Since 1945, the institutions studied have had 382 leaders, 47 of them women, the report showed. Despite recent progress, one-third of the institutions are currently headed by women.

WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala opens a ministerial conference in Geneva in 2022. Reuters
WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala opens a ministerial conference in Geneva in 2022. Reuters

GWL Voices said it would release a more extensive version of the report in September that would also look at the senior management teams and governing bodies of the 33 institutions. It said it was pushing for governance reforms that could “accelerate the transition to gender-balanced leadership”.

The report also revealed that women’s representation is slightly better in organisations in charge of areas such as children, food, population and health.

But men dominate the fields of politics, finance, international development, labour, nuclear energy, intellectual property, meteorology, agriculture, industrial development, and maritime affairs.

The information in the report is based on publicly available sources, such as institutional websites that list the name, nationality and gender of leaders. Data was gathered in January and February.

There has been a notable recent focus on women in the workforce, particularly gender disparities in pension provisions.

Women in the UK are facing shortfall of £123,000 in their retirement pots compared to men, according to pension provider Scottish Widows.

This gap is primarily driven by gender imbalances in pay, working patterns and time off for childcare. While there has been a slight improvement in the outlook for young women over the years, the disparity remains stark.

According to research, the average 25-year-old woman is on track to retire with £100,000 less in her pension than a man. This shortfall represents an additional 16 years of work, meaning she would have to retire at 81 to reach the same level of pension.

These imbalances have been affecting women for generations and continue to persist, compounded by the gender pay gap.

Despite the bleak outlook, there are actions women can take to improve their financial security in retirement, according to Scottish Widows.

Firstly, women should start saving for their pensions as early as possible, and seek advice on investment options that align with their goals. Secondly, women should consider working longer or delaying retirement to maximise their retirement savings. Finally, women should be paid fairly and equal opportunities to progress in their careers.

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Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates

Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.

Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.

Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.

Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile 

Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran

Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep

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Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

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The biog

From: Ras Al Khaimah

Age: 50

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Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others

Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.

As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.

Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.

“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”

Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.

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Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.

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Updated: March 07, 2023, 12:23 PM`