March 8 is International Women's Day. In the past decades, more and more women have entered into political and business leadership positions. But the number of women leaders still lags behind men, and the path to leadership is also often different for women.
There are currently 10 women serving as heads of state, and 14 others in top ranking government positions. In these roles they deal with major regional and global issues. This is a low proportion of all state leaders, but does signal progress.
In the business world, progress can also can be seen. In 2015, around a quarter of startup founders were female in several big cities. But the path to the top is not easy for women. Listed companies have an average of 0.93 female directors, compared to 7.74 male directors. Some female leaders have called for more solidarity among women in business.
“It’s important not to be a sole voice out there shouting to the high heavens, but have a group that’s credible, a group that is progressive, and also inclusive,” said Pacita Juan, president Women's Business Council of The Philippines.
In competition for the top position of the U.N., there are more and more female candidates. Among seven candidates announced to run for the new Secretary General, three are female. And many expect a woman will lead the U.N. for the first time in 70 years.
Whether the next U.N. Secretary General will be a woman is uncertain, but it is clear that the path to leadership for women is both difficult and extremely rewarding.