Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Tackling the Issue of Women’s Underrepresentation in Leadership Roles

For decades, women have been striving to break the glass ceiling and achieve equality in leadership positions across various industries. Despite modest progress in recent years, data on women in leadership roles indicate that a significant gender gap persists. As of 2022, only 8.2% of Fortune 500 CEOs (44 CEOs) were women—an improvement from zero female Fortune 500 CEOs in 1995, according to Zippia. As of January 1, 2023, five new women CEOs assumed leadership roles, increasing the percentage to over 10% (53 CEOs), according to Fortune.

It is evident that women continue to face numerous barriers that hinder their advancement to top leadership positions. From implicit biases and gender stereotypes to limited access to mentorship and professional networks, systemic challenges perpetuate the underrepresentation of women in leadership. This article explores the root causes of the issue and proposes actionable solutions to help women break the glass ceiling and achieve equal success.

The Glass Ceiling: A Brief Overview

The term glass ceiling was coined in the 1980s to describe the invisible barriers that prevent women from advancing to senior leadership positions. These barriers include sexism, racism, and gender stereotypes. The glass ceiling is not confined to a single industry but affects women across business, politics, and academia. Despite ongoing progress, women’s representation in leadership remains disproportionately low.

Barriers to Women in Leadership

Women possess equal education, talent, and work ethic as men. While entry into the workforce is generally accessible, advancement to leadership remains challenging. Several key barriers contribute to this disparity:

• Gender Stereotypes
  Society often perceives men as assertive leaders while viewing women as emotional or nurturing. According to Eagly & Wood (1991), men are associated with agentic traits, while women are linked to communal traits. When women display leadership behaviors similar to men, they are often judged negatively—assertiveness in men is seen as leadership, while in women it is labeled as being “bossy.”
• Discrimination and Bias
  Implicit bias remains widespread. Harvard Business Review research suggests modern biases are often more damaging than overt discrimination. Women today are frequently unprepared for subtle expectations and systemic favoritism toward men, resulting in limited promotions and professional setbacks.
• Prejudice: Women Can’t Be CEOs and Mothers
  A persistent belief suggests motherhood reduces professional capability. Despite evidence disproving this, many women face doubts—from employers and themselves—about balancing leadership and family responsibilities, especially without institutional support.
• Lack of Flexibility
  Workplace inflexibility disproportionately affects women. Research by McKinsey and LeanIn.Org (2022) shows that flexible and hybrid work environments reduce burnout and increase career advancement opportunities for women.

The Benefits of Gender-Inclusive Leadership

Gender-inclusive leadership benefits organizations and society through diverse perspectives, improved decision-making, higher employee morale, reduced turnover, and better alignment with diverse customer bases. It also promotes broader social equality by challenging stereotypes and enabling shared caregiving responsibilities.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Solutions

There is no single solution. Employers must commit to equitable recruitment, flexible work policies, and mentorship programs. According to Stanford GSB, 80% of CEOs have had mentors. Expanding mentorship—especially male mentorship for women—is essential to advancing women into leadership roles.

What ILPP Has Done to Support Women in Leadership

Through the project WomEntrepreneurship: IT and Engineering at Their Strongest, girls and women developed soft skills, received mentorship, and strengthened professional portfolios. ILPP also collaborated with ten accomplished women leaders to create motivational video content available on ILPP’s official YouTube channel.

Through the project Increased Participation of Women in Politics in North Macedonia, ILPP trained over 60 women leaders in governance, accountability, leadership, and public speaking, enabling meaningful political participation.

These initiatives represent only a portion of ILPP’s commitment to advancing women’s leadership. The Institute remains dedicated to building a more equitable and inclusive society.

Neda Josifoska
Junior Researcher, ILPP