WOMEN IN GOVERNANCE: A MEASURE OF THE GLASS CEILING

Abstract

The representation of women in governance bodies remains below parity objectives. Despite laws and representational goals in many countries, women still encounter the phenomenon of the glass ceiling.
This article proposes a measure of the glass ceiling to better explain the barriers they face in accessing governance bodies. Based on the first four steps of Churchill’s paradigm, we have identified six distinct dimensions of the glass ceiling. These dimensions include absence of mentorship and exclusion from professional networks, organizational sexism, lack of organizational support, lack of spousal support, lack of family support, and individual barriers. To effectively break the glass ceiling, it is essential to understand and measure its multiple dimensions, to implement more inclusive organizational policies and practices.