Institutionalised gender inequality is perpetually reinforced through the failure to change male-oriented work models and corporate cultures to fit the needs of women. And that’s despite the fact that studies show that firms with more women in leadership positions tend to have better performance and higher profits:

• girls outperform boys at school. 
• more women go to university than men. 
• male unemployment is higher than female unemployment. 

• women get paid less than men.
• less than 30% of senior management are women. 
• less than  10% of companies have women CEOs. 

• women are more likely to work in lower paid occupations. (occupational or horizontal segregation)
• women are less likely to get leadership roles. (vertical segregation)
• women’s careers are more likely to be negatively affected by parenthood (maternity segregation)

Gender equity delivers economic benefits, but it has been described as the “missing link” of sustainable development. It is goal 5 of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.