a couple of links on women's participation in politics and business. first this call for more women to have strong political roles:
More than 20 of the world’s most powerful women called for more political participation for women as a crucial step for democracy, peace and sustainable economic and social development at an event during the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly today.
[...]
“We are in an age of participation and every political party should make room for women to play a greater role,” Hilary Clinton said. “When we liberate women we boost economies; human rights cannot be stopped.”
on the latter point, there has been some research from the university of waikato, proving yet again what we already know: that companies with women on their boards of directors are more profitable than those that don't:
Dr Stuart Locke, director of the university’s Institute for Business Research, said research showed women directors are good for business.
The institute analysed 10 years of data from New Zealand Stock Exchange companies and found that increasing the number of women on boards increased financial performance.
The institute’s study looked at performance measured by rate of return on assets for companies in New Zealand. It looked at a number of variables relating to corporate governance including the size of boards, the number of women and other measures.
"We found that the number of women on the boards was positively correlated to performance. Those companies that had higher performance – not just greater profit but greater profit on the assets they owned – had more women on the board. That was a statistically significant result," Locke said. The study did not explain how women boosted financial performance, as it was purely a financial study.
of course i'm one of those who thinks we should have diversity because it's the right thing to do, not solely because it has financial or economic benefits. but it's nice to know the latter is true as well.
2 comments:
On women's political participation, it's worth looking outside of New Zealand, but not very far at all, to see how badly we are doing.
Women in parliaments in the Pacific are massively under-represented, and going backwards. At the last election, Samoa had only 2 women MPs, down from 4. PNG has one - though it is attempting to get legislation for dedicated seats through the house before the next election. Solomon Islands has none. Tonga (I think) has none. Across the region, women make up less than 5% of elected representatives - the worst in the world.
sorry d4j, not interested in that kind of language or comment here. thanx.
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