Outcomes of Effective Gender Inclusion Policies

Fascinating study “From Patriarchy to Policy: Norms, Votes, and Gender Equal Laws” by my colleagues Maurizio Bussolo , Jonah Rexer and Lynn Hu . 🔍 Key findings: • The paper shows that countries with more liberal social norms tend to have more gender-equal laws, better law implementation and higher economic participation by women. • Ancestral patriarchal culture is shown to be a strong predictor of contemporary gender norms, which in turn shape legal frameworks and labour-market outcomes. • The authors identify a political selection mechanism: more conservative norms increase the likelihood of electing leaders less favourable to gender equality, which then results in less progressive legislation (both de jure and de facto). • Importantly, it’s not just about passing gender-equal laws, but also about embedding the norms, political will and institutions needed to make such laws effective. 📌 Recommendations: From the study, I draw out several actionable policy directions: • Strengthen the measurement of social norms (including cultural legacies) and incorporate them explicitly into gender-equality strategies. • Focus on political and institutional mechanisms: electoral, party-system, leadership composition, as critical levers for advancing gender-equal laws. • Prioritise the “last mile” of implementation: ensuring that legal reforms are matched with capacity, enforcement, monitoring and accountability mechanisms. • Recognise the long-term, path-dependent nature of gender norms: change doesn’t happen overnight, and strategies must combine short-term legal reform with longer-term norm-shifting efforts (education, role models, media, public discussion). • Tailor reform packages: because norms, history and politics differ by country/region, a “onesize-fits-all” approach is unlikely to succeed; context-sensitive sequencing matters. ✨ My reflections: Having spent many years working on institutional reform, I welcome the attention to the antecedent role of norms: the idea that legal reform cannot be divorced from culture is familiar — but the empirical demonstration across countries here makes the case even more compelling. As countries aspire to ensure equal opportunities for women and men, they need to better understand and tackle gender norms. ➡️ Link to paper: https://lnkd.in/eft7cKNU I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Since 2019, state sporting boards in Victoria have been required to have gender balanced boards. This is - and will continue to be - entrenched into the eligibility criteria for key funding programs. The result of this quota? 💡Board processes professionalised in response to steps taken to attract and retain women on boards. 💡Women directors brought key experience and skills to boards which enhanced board dynamics and decision-making. 💡Women directors were found to positively impact board culture and dynamics, diversity management, strategic planning, and board processes. 💡Having a critical mass of women on boards improved the experience of other directors. 💡As the proportion of women on boards increased, women directors felt welcomed and valued, and more comfortable asking questions and contributing to board discussions and decisions. Not only that, the influence of gender balanced boards at an SSA level positively influenced community sport: 💡the policy raised awareness about the importance of women’s representation in leadership roles within community clubs, including on committees and boards. 💡clubs with higher awareness of the importance of women's representation in leadership roles worked to increase representation. 💡willingness to take action was found to be linked to awareness of the state-wide policy. These are just some of the thoughts coming to mind today with the news that the requirement for half of nominated directors for Brisbane 2032's Organising Committee for the Olympic Games are women, and for at least one independent director to be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, may be removed. Not only will this deprive Brisbane 2032 of the many, many benefits of diverse governance...what tone will this set for the wider community sport sector about the importance of women in leadership? Queensland is already on track to be the last jurisdiction to meet the minimum requirements of the National Gender Equity in Sports Governance Policy, a full two years after the set timeline. Surely this is an opportunity to lift the bar, not remove it.

Deloitte UK’s equal paid parenting leave policy is making a real difference. The policy, launched in a year ago and effective from 1st January this year, gives all parents (regardless of gender) 26 weeks of full pay. Since then: • 625 non-birth parents have applied. • 360 have already taken leave, averaging 23 weeks. • 95% took additional paid leave; 84% took or intend to take the full six months. What this tells me is that it isn’t just a policy. It’s a statement of values. You know how much I care about making space for parents to parent equitable and fully. The impact is visible in the real stories of people like Chris, and Zarar, who were better able to bond as a dad with their children. To me, there are two lessons here for inclusion leaders and HR professionals: 1. Policy + Culture = Power You can introduce the most progressive policy, but it only works if your culture encourages people to use it. Deloitte’s leaders have made that happen. 2. Equity transforms at both ends Equal leave isn’t just about fairness, it’s about normalising caregiving for all, fostering gender equality, and disrupting outdated norms that hold people back. If you’re thinking of your own parental leave policies, ask: • Are they ACTUALLY equitable? • Do you have a culture that supports people taking them? • Are you prepared to evaluate, learn, and evolve? Because real inclusion isn’t built overnight, it’s built when leaders pair policy with culture to drive both fairness and freedom. Laura Parsons #Inclusion #EqualParentingLeave #WorkplaceCulture #GenderEquality #PeopleExperience #Leadership #PolicyAndCulture #ParentalLeave

When women can participate fully in the economy, the upside is not incremental. It is transformational for jobs, productivity, household resilience, and long-term growth. The World Bank Group’s #ClearHerPath stories from South Asia reinforce a strategic point: progress happens when we stop treating women’s economic participation as a “program” and start building it into mainstream systems. A few practical levers stand out: ✔ Access: finance, markets, digital tools, and networks that treat women as full economic participants 💳📶 ✔ Enabling conditions: safe mobility, childcare, and workplace policies that make continuity possible, not exceptional 🚍👶 ✔ Representation and voice: visible pathways into leadership and decision-making so the next generation can aim higher 👥 ✔ Inclusion by design: accessibility in public spaces and workplaces, because dignity should not depend on personal workarounds ♿️ Clearing the path is not about inspiration alone. It is about removing frictions and building infrastructure for opportunity so more women can create enterprises, lead teams, and shape markets. Read more - https://lnkd.in/ga2zxBw7 #ClearHerPath #SouthAsia #WomenEconomicEmpowerment #Jobs #FinancialInclusion #DigitalInclusion #DisabilityInclusion #GenderEquality  

𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐀 𝐕𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 When IKEA opened its first India store, it didn't just bring Scandinavian design. It brought a bold people-first policy 50% women across all levels from warehouse to leadership. That’s not a target. That’s a redesign of how work works. Because gender diversity isn’t a hire-and-hope exercise. It’s a system. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐𝘒𝘌𝘈 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦. 📦 In warehousing, where female presence is often <5%, IKEA introduced flexible shifts, secure transport, and ergonomic redesigns. 🛒 In retail, women took on frontline and leadership roles not through tokenism, but through structured mentorship and skill-building. 👷♀️ Even construction teams of partner vendors were held to inclusion metrics. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵? More than 46% of IKEA India’s workforce today are women👍 Across roles, ranks, and regions. 💬 As Parineeta Cecil Lakra, Country People & Culture Manager at IKEA India, put it: “Gender balance is a business priority. It's about building better teams, better decisions, and a better workplace.” This wasn’t easy. But it was deliberate. 𝑷𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑷𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 ➡️ Is gender diversity part of your business model , or just your HR strategy? ➡️ Are frontline and supply chain roles truly open to women, or just support functions? ➡️ Do your vendor contracts reflect your internal diversity values? ➡️ Are inclusion metrics tied to leadership performance KPIs? ➡️ Would your workplace design need to change to include more women? Sources: IKEA India via HR Katha, Infosys ESG Report 2023, Wipro Annual Report 2023, Hindustan Unilever Integrated Report 2023, Tata Sons DEI disclosures, Mahindra Group Sustainability Report, Godrej Group DEI data, Nestlé India Corporate Sustainability Report. #Diversity #CorporateGoveranance #OrgCulture

While going through a recent study on working women in India, I came across some eye-opening insights that underline both the progress we’ve made and the challenges that remain. The findings provide a clear roadmap for organizations aiming to foster gender equity and inclusivity: Key Insights: - Ambition Unleashed: 90% of women are willing to go above and beyond in their roles, with 73% identifying as highly ambitious—shattering the myth that women lack drive or aspirations. - Retention and Bias: 42% of women experience workplace bias, making them 3.5 times more likely to leave. Inclusive leadership isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a retention strategy. - The Motherhood Penalty:1 in 3 mothers report career setbacks post-maternity, a stark reminder that we need policies that don’t penalize women for their life choices. - The Burnout Reality:Women handle 64% of domestic responsibilities, leading to significant time poverty and burnout, with 81% feeling mentally exhausted. - Leadership's Ripple Effect: Organizations with visible women leaders have a tangible impact on fostering equity and inspiring confidence in their workforce. Lessons for Organizations: - Flexibility Wins: Policies like flexible work arrangements and returnship programs aren’t perks—they’re essentials for retaining women talent. - Representation Matters: Promoting women into visible leadership roles helps create role models and a more inclusive organizational culture. - Mental Health is Key: Actively addressing bias, microaggressions, and workplace mental health challenges is non-negotiable. Why This Matters: Equity isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s a driver of innovation and growth. When women succeed, organizations thrive. But achieving this success requires deliberate action, not just intent. How can we, as leaders and changemakers, create workplaces where ambition isn’t hindered, and potential is fully realized? I’d love to hear your thoughts. 👇🙂 #GenderEquity #LeadershipMatters #InclusiveWorkplace #WomenInLeadership #WorkplaceCulture

Gender Equality Isn’t Just Fair—It’s Profitable: How Family-Friendly Work Policies Contribute The data is clear: workplaces that prioritise gender equality see higher productivity, better profitability, and stronger employee engagement. Yet, despite growing awareness and legislative support, many employers still fail to address the key drivers of workplace inequality—including outdated policies on caregiving and flexibility. A recent report from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) highlights a 60% increase in employer participation in gender pay audits. While this is a step in the right direction, achieving real equality isn’t just about salaries—it’s about removing systemic barriers that prevent women from fully participating in the workforce. One of the biggest barriers? Lack of family-friendly workplace policies. Workplaces that fail to support flexible work, paid parental leave, and caregiving responsibilities are inadvertently widening the gender gap. Women still take on the majority of unpaid caregiving duties, and when workplace policies don’t accommodate this reality, it forces many women to: ✅ Work fewer hours ✅ Take career breaks ✅ Leave the workforce altogether As Mary Wooldridge, CEO of WGEA, pointed out in the AFR, “For many employers, the [gender pay gap] average is higher than the estimated median pay gap, giving credence to the common refrain from businesses and leaders that ‘we don’t have enough women in senior roles.’” But why don’t women hold more senior roles? Often because workplace policies often fail to support the career progression of women juggling work and caregiving. According to Family Friendly Workplaces research, organisations that adopt family-inclusive policies higher retention and greater employee engagement: 🔹 Flexible work arrangements reduce burnout and improve productivity—for all employees, not just caregivers. 🔹 Paid parental leave for both parents helps normalise caregiving responsibilities and reduces the “motherhood penalty.” 🔹 Access to affordable childcare allows parents—especially women—to remain in the workforce without sacrificing career growth. Wooldridge warns that employers who fail to address gender pay gaps and workplace inequities will face serious consequences: “With so much to gain, employers should consider the risk of inaction carefully.” And she’s right. Companies that fail to implement fair policies risk losing top talent, suffering lower employee engagement, and falling behind competitors who prioritise inclusion. If workplaces truly want to achieve gender equality, they must go beyond pay gap reporting and actively implement policies that support all employees—especially those with caregiving responsibilities. Employers must ask themselves: are we creating a workplace culture where everyone can thrive - at work and at home? If the answer isn’t a clear yes, it’s time for change. #GenderEquality #FamilyFriendlyWorkplaces #FutureOfWork

I've watched brilliant gender advisors burn out trying to change their organizations single-handedly. They develop comprehensive gender action plans. Facilitate participatory strategy sessions. Deliver training after training. Check every box. And still, nothing sticks. After 15 years working across international development, NGOs, and corporate settings, I've seen this pattern repeat itself: talented, passionate gender focal points left alone to champion inclusion - while leadership remains unchanged. Here's the uncomfortable truth: Gender equality initiatives fail not because the strategies are wrong, but because leadership hasn't developed the skills to embed them. You cannot delegate organizational transformation to one person or one department. Gender-responsive leadership must be a core competency across all levels - from senior management to team leads. The difference between organizations that achieve real results and those that don't? Their leaders have moved beyond good intentions. They've built concrete skills in: → Gender analysis that informs every decision → Bias interruption as a daily practice → Communication that creates inclusion and psychological safety → Accountability systems that drive change When leadership is gender-responsive and inclusive, those gender action plans don't gather dust. Staff training creates lasting behavior change. Inclusion becomes embedded in how work gets done -- not an add-on managed by one overwhelmed person. This is what happens → Better decision-making. Stronger team performance. Higher retention. Innovation that reflects diverse perspectives. Results that actually reach all stakeholders. This is why I focus my work on building gender-responsive and inclusive leadership capacity throughout organizations - not just supporting gender specialists, but equipping every leader with the skills to drive inclusion. If you're a gender advisor or focal point who feels like you're pushing a boulder uphill alone, this isn't on you. The system needs to change. And if you're in leadership and wondering why your gender and inclusion initiatives aren't delivering results - this is why. What's your experience? Have you seen the difference that gender-responsive and inclusive leadership makes - or witnessed the challenges when it's missing? #GenderResponsiveLeadership #InclusiveLeadership #GenderTrainer #GenderTraining #GenderResponsiveCommunication #GenderResponsiveCommunications

From Awareness to Action: How Male Engagement Shifts Gender Norms in Health In recent years, gender-transformative programs have gained traction as a strategy to improve health outcomes by shifting restrictive gender norms. But how effective are they, and what role do men and boys play in driving this change? A landmark review by Levy et al. (2020) analyzed gender-transformative programs aimed at shifting gender norms for children, adolescents, and young adults (0-24 years old). The findings were both promising and concerning: ✅Programs led to improvements in gender-related behaviors and health outcomes. ❌ But only 16% showed strong evidence of actual norm change. 🚨 Most programs targeted women and girls, often neglecting the role of men and boys in shifting harmful masculinity norms. Fast forward to 2025, and a new systematic review by Gottert et al. moves this conversation forward by analyzing how male engagement programs impact gender norms and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. Gottert et al. reviewed 35 systematic reviews and nearly 1,000 studies and found that engaging men in SRH programs not only improves health outcomes but also contributes to norm change in key ways: ✔ Men as Clients – Encouraging men to access SRH services (e.g., HIV testing, contraception) helps normalize help-seeking behavior, breaking down stigma. ✔ Men as Partners – Supporting their female partners in reproductive health fosters shared decision-making and challenges traditional power imbalances in relationships. ✔ Men as Agents of Change – When men actively promote gender-equitable norms in their communities, it leads to wider social change beyond individual behavior shifts. Key Findings from Gottert et al. ·      Male engagement programs lead to positive shifts in gender attitudes—men are more likely to support women’s contraceptive choices, engage in caregiving, and reject harmful gender norms. ·      Behavioral change accompanies attitude shifts—men who participate in interventions are more likely to seek HIV testing, support partners in SRH, and challenge gender stereotypes in their communities. ·      Unlike Levy’s findings, Gottert provides stronger evidence that male engagement leads to measurable norm change, not just temporary shifts in behavior. What’s Next? Scaling Up Norm-Shifting Approaches Levy et al. highlighted that most norm-shifting programs remain small-scale pilots—rarely institutionalized in health systems or policies. Gottert et al. argue that to create lasting change, we must integrate norm-shifting strategies into mainstream health and development programs by: The Takeaway If gender-transformative programs are to succeed, they must move beyond just targeting women and girls—we need men actively engaged as partners and advocates for gender equality. #GenderEquality #MaleEngagement #NormShifting #PublicHealth #SocialNorms #ReproductiveHealth #SRHR #BehaviorChange #HealthEquity #SocialMarketing #AdolescentHealth

Namibia stands out globally for a rare political reality: the country has had women occupying the three most powerful positions in government — President, Vice President, and Speaker of the National Assembly. This is significant because, across most of the world, political leadership at the highest level is still overwhelmingly male. Even in countries that have made progress in gender equality, it is uncommon to see women simultaneously leading across all top branches of executive and legislative authority. Namibia’s case reflects a broader historical and political context. Since independence in 1990, the country has implemented policies aimed at increasing women’s participation in politics. Political parties, particularly SWAPO, adopted systems that encouraged gender balance, including quotas that ensured women were represented in decision-making structures. Over time, this translated into real political power. Women were not only present in parliament but also moved into key leadership roles, shaping national policy and governance. This matters beyond symbolism. When women are part of leadership at this level, it can influence priorities such as education, healthcare, social welfare, and gender equality policies. It also challenges long-standing assumptions about who is “fit” to lead. At the same time, representation alone does not automatically equal transformation. The presence of women in power does not remove structural challenges or guarantee outcomes. What matters is how leadership is exercised and whether it leads to meaningful change in people’s lives. Still, visibility plays a powerful role. Seeing women occupy the highest offices in a country can reshape expectations, especially for younger generations. It expands the idea of leadership and opens space for more inclusive political participation. (African and Black History AfricanArchives's Post)