National Action to Reduce Barriers to and Bias against Women's Leadership: A Comparative Analysis of Laws and Policies in 193 Countries

Women remain underrepresented in leadership roles worldwide. This article provides the first globally comparative analysis of laws and policies that reduce barriers to women's career advancement. It finds that 86 per cent of countries failed to prohibit gender discrimination in performance evaluations and 73 per cent failed to prohibit discriminatory demotions. Caregiving responsibilities faced by women in leadership positions more than men went largely unsupported; 58 per cent of countries lack paid leave to address adult family members' health. In spite of women leaders facing high rates of harassment, 90 per cent of countries lack laws prohibiting sexual harassment. Addressing these gaps is critical for progress.