PowHERhouse Fall 2017 | Page 16

Inspire Me

PUNT it to the Penthouse

by Charlene SanJenko

Women continue to travel through the same 10 floors... over and over and over...

We cycle from the ground floor up to the 10th floor.  Ground floor to 10th.  Ground floor to 10th.  Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat.  Programs, coaching, and books for women continue to play into this cycle of the same 10 floors.  And when we reach the 10th floor, bash our heads on the glass ceiling, search for more answers, and are led through the cycle all over again through the exact same 10 floors.

It's true, more women are being attracted to leadership. However, the challenge remains that the top decision-making roles are not being filled by women.  There's an under-representation in the Penthouse, and we need to change that once and for all.

According to Catalyst, the overall participation of women in the labor force continues to grow.  Women were 47.3% of the total labor force in 2016 compared to 37.1% in 1976.  And the number of working mothers continues to grow.  Between 1976 and 2007, employment for mothers with children under six years old more than doubled from 31.5% to 68.1%. However, women's progress in reaching senior management positions has stalled.  Men are two to three times more likely to be in a senior management position than are women.  Women hold only 34.8% of all management positions and 37.1% of all senior management positions. Same 10 floors.

“Canada is a progressive country and a world leader in many things.  Unfortunately, women's participation in political life is not one of them.  Our goal is to reduce the real democratic deficit, the one that sees half of our population underrepresented in our political institutions.”

FCM Past President Ann MacLean,

Mayor of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

Read the full article HERE