Why we need more women leaders in politics for the future of work
Source: World Economic Forum
The future of work isn’t just about technology, automation or upskilling — it’s about power. Right now, that power remains unequally distributed. Women make up half the global population but hold just 26.5% of parliamentary seats and 22.9% of ministerial positions worldwide. This political imbalance isn’t just about representation — it has real economic consequences.
When women hold political power, economies grow. A 10 percentage point increase in women’s parliamentary representation is associated with a 0.7% percentage point increase in GDP growth. Countries with greater female political representation consistently implement policies that support gender-equal labour markets, such as paid family leave, pay transparency and childcare infrastructure. These policies don’t just benefit women; they increase workforce participation, boost productivity and fuel economic expansion.
Yet, despite decades of progress, we are still 169 years away from achieving gender parity in political representation. Without structural change at the policy level, labour market inequities will persist, limiting the economic potential of half the population. As AI disrupts industries, demographics shift and economic uncertainty rises, closing the gender gap in political leadership isn’t just a moral imperative — it’s an economic necessity.
Read here the full article published by the World Economic Forum on 13 March 2025.
Image by World Economic Forum
The future of work isn’t just about technology, automation or upskilling — it’s about power. Right now, that power remains unequally distributed. Women make up half the global population but hold just 26.5% of parliamentary seats and 22.9% of ministerial positions worldwide. This political imbalance isn’t just about representation — it has real economic consequences.
When women hold political power, economies grow. A 10 percentage point increase in women’s parliamentary representation is associated with a 0.7% percentage point increase in GDP growth. Countries with greater female political representation consistently implement policies that support gender-equal labour markets, such as paid family leave, pay transparency and childcare infrastructure. These policies don’t just benefit women; they increase workforce participation, boost productivity and fuel economic expansion.
Yet, despite decades of progress, we are still 169 years away from achieving gender parity in political representation. Without structural change at the policy level, labour market inequities will persist, limiting the economic potential of half the population. As AI disrupts industries, demographics shift and economic uncertainty rises, closing the gender gap in political leadership isn’t just a moral imperative — it’s an economic necessity.
Read here the full article published by the World Economic Forum on 13 March 2025.
Image by World Economic Forum