Jamaica has the Highest Percentage of Women Managers Worldwide
According to a recent study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Jamaica has the highest proportion of female managers.
While women are still being excluded in many higher level economic decision making situations, there has been an increase in the number of women in management positions, particularly at middle and senior levels over the past two decades globally.
The ILO study entitled “Women in Business and Management, Gaining Momentum” revealed that 59.3 per cent of managers in Jamaica were women.
Colombia ranked second with 53.1 percent, followed by Saint Lucia – 52.3 per cent, Philippines 47.6 per cent and Panama 47.4 with per cent ranked fifth.
Yemen had the least proportion with 2.1 per cent while our neighbouring super power the United States had 42.7 per cent, placing them in 15th place.
The 40-page document revealed that the larger the company, the less likely the head would be a woman. “The glass ceiling that prevents women from reaching top positions in business and management may be showing the cracks, but it is still there. More women than ever before are managers and business owners, but there is still a dearth of women at the top of the corporate ladder. It is critical for more women to reach senior management positions in strategic areas to build a pool of potential candidates for top jobs such as chief executive or company presidents,” said France-Massin – Director of the ILO’s Bureau for Employers’ Activities.
According to the report some reasons why women were still being excluded from high-level decision making include: gender stereotyping, corporate culture, and a lack of measures to reconcile work and family responsibility.
All-male company boards were still common, but had decreased in numbers over the last two decades.
Gender parity in the workforce is great but why do you believe Jamaica has such a high percentage of women managers? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Have you checked the statistics on successful high school leavers or university graduates? Most of those are women too. They are the ones with the qualifications, so they are the ones who will get the jobs. Many of our boys are lost, not all, but many. The get rich quick mentality is stealing our men.