A SEAT AT THE TABLE

KAMALA HARRIS

(VICE PRESIDENT USA, 2020)

• In 2002 Kamala Harris become the first person to be appointed the District Attorney of San Francisco.
• She then went to become the attorney general of California by 2010.
• She was elected as a US senator in 2016.^[1]
• Her work on minimum wage, protection of women, and reproductive rights is commendable.

SAFRA CATZ

(CEO , ORACLE)

• She also holds the role of CFO for Oracle.
• She previously held positions as a Director of PeopleSoft Inc., in December 2004 and Stellent Inc. in 2006.^[2]
• Her work has helped Oracle make great strides towards wage equality and women in representation in leadership roles

MALALA YOUSEFZAI

(NOBLE PEACE PRICE WINNER,2014)

• In 2013, Yousafzai started the Malala Fund, this fund was focused on providing girls around the world with high-quality and affordable education.
• In 2015, Yousafzai opened a school for Syrian refugee girls based in Lebanon and continued her focus on education.^[3]
• Her contribution to the field of awareness for women's rights, education, and equality in developing nations have set a new benchmark for women in the social sector.

GAIL K. BOUDREAUX

(CEO, ANTHEM)

• Gail previously served as the CEO of United Healthcare. She was responsible for running the largest business division with over 60 thousand employees.
• She also previously served as a Vice president for Healthcare Service Corporation and the President of BCBS.^[4]
• Her work to improve women's participation in leadership positions and reduce healthcare disparities is exemplary.

LACK OF EQUAL SUPPORT

Lack of Formal Assessment:
Men are 19% more likely than women to receive formal assessment this helps them climb the corporate ladder quicker through the early recognition of their abilities and gives crucial insight to their supervisors and HR regarding their abilities.^[6]

Lack of Formal Training:
Men are 13% more likely than women to receive formal training for leadership roles. Formal training helps candidates grow into leadership roles faster while also reassuring their superiors of their skill sets.
It reduces the possibility of errors and helps them achieve better results in leadership positions.[6]

Lack of Formal Mentorship:
Women are 12% less likely to receive formal mentorship from superiors.
This limits their ability to network and create professional relationships in their careers. It also hampers their growth by limiting their access to senior leadership and thereby having the opportunity to put forth their skills.[6]

GENDER BIAS

There is not only a narrower pipeline for the progress of women but there is a leak in it.
Archaic perceptions of women such as "Women belong in the kitchen", "Women are emotional and volatile" have adversely affected women's presence in leadership roles.
This stagnation in lower roles also forces women to switch roles and firms making the climb to the top of the ladder tougher.
The lack of company policies to support women has further propelled this culture.[7]