NBSHR

Looking back on the history of humanity, it is evident that significant progress has been made in the area of women's rights in the last few centuries. In early 20th century, issues like women not having the right to vote and needing their husbands' permission to work were on the agenda. In the 21st century, women's participation in top-level positions and leadership has become one of the priorities. Within a century, significant rights have been gained, but there is still a long way to go. The main reason for this long journey is that gender-based discrimination has become so deeply embedded in the details that it is often imperceptible. Today, women theoretically have equal rights to education, employment, and career advancement, but the reality we observe is quite different. The rights women have on paper don’t change the fact that socially and economically women have to make their own path in a male-dominated world. The gender gap in power and leadership roles remains substantial. Worldwide, women hold only 26% of seats in parliaments. In the business world, women occupy only 28% of executive roles. The pace of progress towards gender equality suggests that it will take until 2050 for women to reach a mere 30% representation. The momentum of girls' educational achievements is declining, and women are losing opportunities for skill development. As a result of the demands of the women's movement, it has been acknowledged that women can also be leaders in the professional world. However, moving into leadership positions and staying there is not as easy for women as it is for men. The fundamental problem starts at the very beginning of women's career journeys. Only 61% of women of working age are in the labor force, compared to 90% of men. Additionally, disrupted careers, caregiving responsibilities, and wage discrimination mean that women earn only one-third of global labor income. Ongoing gender-based barriers limit women's roles in science, technology, and innovation, and these patterns have become even more visible with the rise of artificial intelligence. UNESCO's 2023 report shows that only one out of every three researchers is a woman. Reports from the ILO, WIPO, and the UN in 2023, as well as data from the Global SDG Indicators Database, tell us similar stories: only 17% of international patents are held by women, while 83% are held by men. Men are three times more likely to possess computer programming skills than women. Worldwide, women occupy only 25% of jobs in science, engineering, and IT. Leadership in today's world requires more than just acquiring new skills and adapting to the requirements of a leadership role. People can become leaders by internalizing the leadership role, developing a sense of purpose. As they advance in their careers, they need to step out of their comfort zones, be encouraged, approved, or criticized to some extent in the steps they take. These factors determine the roadmap for their next steps, and they internalize leadership along this path. However, it is undeniable that the leadership journey faces many obstacles, with only 56% of women who are married or in a domestic partnership between the ages of 15-49 making their own choices. One reason leadership is defined as leadership rather than management is because today's leadership involves the delicate balance of when, how, and how much authority to exercise, often beyond absolute authority and hierarchy. It is highly related to their relationships with, and the perceptions of, the people they work with. For this reason, it still resides in the collective subconscious that women cannot naturally adapt to leadership roles. Challenging behavior by a man may be perceived as self-confidence, while the same behavior exhibited by a woman may be seen as "too authoritarian" and "aggressive." Women are forced to choose between being respected and being liked in leadership positions. When they are too soft, understanding, and accommodating, their ideas are ignored, making them appear "passive" and "ineffective" at the table. On the other hand, behaviors they exhibit to assert themselves are often subject to criticism. The widespread belief that women cannot be successful leaders leads to the monitoring of their behavior. Naturally, women find it challenging to internalize leadership along their career journey while trying to adjust to these lenses from the very beginning. The latest data reveals that globally, 54% of the world lacks comprehensive legal frameworks in areas such as domestic violence, employment, marriage, and family, even though we assume that we have already surpassed these indicators as part of today's sustainable development goals. While these statistics show that we are not as far along the path to equality as we might think, there are studies that demonstrate the need for women leaders. According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, women outperform or equal men in seven out of eight leadership qualities assessed. A study conducted by social psychologist Dr. Joshi in 2022 suggests that the mere presence of a female leader, compared to a male leader, results in fairer treatment, better pay, and a balance in status within an organization. According to organizational psychologist Dr. Wolley's study, the presence of women in teams increases collaboration because women contribute significantly to group processes. In summary, while the foundations for women not being in leadership positions and decision-making mechanisms exist, it is clear that this issue stems from basic human rights violence starting from the right to education and extending to equal opportunities for self-improvement in science and technology. A vital policy to be implemented is setting a minimum quota for female employment in all fields, from blue-collar to top-level management. In addition to these policies, flexible work arrangements, leadership mentoring, and accessible caregiving services are also essential. The American Psychological Association's recommendation to support women's presence in leadership positions is as follows: identifying potential leaders early, providing mentorship and sponsorship programs, promoting women's employment in organizations led by women to ensure that women have the right support in their career journeys, and creating ecosystems where women support each other. While it is known that the presence of women leaders will have a positive impact in many areas of the professional world, taking the necessary steps to empower women, promote equality and justice is more important than ever. The future lies in the untapped potential of women. References

3.https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/explainer/2022/09/explainer-sustainable-development-goal-five?gclid=Cj0KCQjw06-oBhC6ARIsAGuzdw1I_y_Cn2a7qVbEmdyuNtFlcnzsb9JCD0Bl9V1D80LclSQS_FzpkJQaAg50EALw_wcB

https://www.apa.org/topics/women-girls/female-leaders-make-work-better

Gender Inequality and Women's Leadership in the 21st Century