Danish women are losing out in achieving top executive positions
Published: 27 August 1997
New figures reveal that a law dating from 1990, which sought to ensure a balance of men and woman in the composition of public committees and boards, has not been realised. Whereas one in three seats (29.2%) on public committees and boards was taken by woman in 1994, this ratio has actually /decreased/ to a little over one in four seats today (26.9%). The chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission (Ligestillingsrådet), Ingrid Rasmussen, deplores this development saying: "it is simply wrong that there is a law which seeks to ensure a balanced composition between the sexes in operation and we find that the trend is going in the opposite direction ... The state ought to take the lead in the battle for equal opportunity." Ms Rasmussen will initiate a investigation into the matter.Anne Baastrup, the spokesperson on equal opportunity for the Peoples' Socialist Party (SF) will bring the figures to the attention of the Prime Minister,Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, and demand an explanation. Ms Baastrup suggests that Parliament should be informed in future of all new public committees and boards that are established and the reasons for appointing members, so as to ensure a balanced composition of men and women.
New figures from the Danish Prime Minister's Department show a decreasing representation of women on public committees and boards .
New figures reveal that a law dating from 1990, which sought to ensure a balance of men and woman in the composition of public committees and boards, has not been realised. Whereas one in three seats (29.2%) on public committees and boards was taken by woman in 1994, this ratio has actually decreased to a little over one in four seats today (26.9%). The chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission (Ligestillingsrådet), Ingrid Rasmussen, deplores this development saying: "it is simply wrong that there is a law which seeks to ensure a balanced composition between the sexes in operation and we find that the trend is going in the opposite direction ... The state ought to take the lead in the battle for equal opportunity." Ms Rasmussen will initiate a investigation into the matter.Anne Baastrup, the spokesperson on equal opportunity for the Peoples' Socialist Party (SF) will bring the figures to the attention of the Prime Minister,Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, and demand an explanation. Ms Baastrup suggests that Parliament should be informed in future of all new public committees and boards that are established and the reasons for appointing members, so as to ensure a balanced composition of men and women.
According to Ms Rasmussen, although it is surprising that women have such a low level of representation in general, it is not so surprising when one considers womens' representation on particular committees and boards in certain Ministries. Only one out of every 10 seats on committees and boards within the Ministry of Business and Industry and the Ministry of Transport are taken by women, yet women constitute approximately half the members of committees and boards within the Ministry for Social Affairs, Health and Education. Ms Rasmussen did say that it was to be expected that social, health and educational questions are traditionally areas of womens' interest, whereas business and transport are traditionally areas of male interest. However, she was unable to offer any explanation as to why there was such a low level of womens' representation on committees and boards in other Ministries.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (1997), Danish women are losing out in achieving top executive positions, article.
