Why we need more women leaders in politics for the future of work

The future of work isn’t just about technology, automation or upskilling — it’s about power. Right now, that power remains unequally distributed. Women make up half the global population but hold just 26.5% of parliamentary seats and 22.9% of ministerial positions worldwide. This political imbalance isn’t just about representation — it has real economic consequences.

When women hold political power, economies grow. A 10 percentage point increase in women’s parliamentary representation is associated with a 0.7% percentage point increase in GDP growth. Countries with greater female political representation consistently implement policies that support gender-equal labour markets, such as paid family leave, pay transparency and childcare infrastructure. These policies don’t just benefit women; they increase workforce participation, boost productivity and fuel economic expansion.

Yet, despite decades of progress, we are still 169 years away from achieving gender parity in political representation. Without structural change at the policy level, labour market inequities will persist, limiting the economic potential of half the population. As AI disrupts industries, demographics shift and economic uncertainty rises, closing the gender gap in political leadership isn’t just a moral imperative — it’s an economic necessity.

Political decisions shape labour markets. From tax policies and healthcare systems to education and workforce policies, the laws passed today determine the economic opportunities available tomorrow. When women are missing from leadership, policies that address gender-specific labour barriers are often absent.

Research consistently shows that when women hold political office, they prioritize social policies that benefit economic growth — including education, healthcare, paid parental leave and childcare support. These aren’t just 'women’s issues' — they are economic growth strategies that increase labour force participation, improve productivity and enhance long-term financial stability.

Closing gender gaps in employment could boost global GDP by $12 trillion, an 11% increase in global economic output. But achieving this requires structural policy shifts — the kind that happens faster when women are in leadership.

Countries with higher female political representation pass stronger labour policies that close gender gaps faster. For example, nations that have enacted pay transparency laws and gender-equal parental leave policies are significantly more likely to have women in government. In contrast, countries with lower female political representation lag behind in wage equality and labour protections.

The message is clear: If we want an equitable labour market, we need more women making the rules.

The relationship between women’s political representation and gender-equal labour policies is well-documented. When women lead, they drive legislative priorities that reflect a broader, more inclusive vision of economic success.

Paid parental leave and accessible childcare are critical to keeping women in the workforce and closing wage gaps. During the COVID-19 pandemic, women’s unpaid work surged by 153% and they continue to perform 2.8 more hours of unpaid labour per day than men.

Countries with strong female leadership are more likely to invest in early childhood education and paid family leave. Take Iceland, where women hold 48% of parliamentary seats. Iceland has one of the world’s most progressive parental leave policies, providing equal paid leave for both parents. The result? Higher workforce participation among women and a more balanced caregiving structure.

By contrast, in the U.S., where women hold only 28% of Congress seats, paid family leave remains a patchwork system, contributing to higher dropout rates from the workforce.

Pay transparency laws reduce pay gaps faster by requiring companies to disclose salary information. Countries like Germany, Canada and the UK, where women hold a higher proportion of leadership roles, have introduced pay transparency mandates that are shrinking wage disparities.

In the European Union, where female political representation averages 32%, the recently passed Pay Transparency Directive requires companies to report gender pay gaps and justify wage differences. These policies result from political leadership that prioritizes economic fairness.

In contrast, countries with lower female political representation see stagnant pay gaps due to weaker legislative enforcement.

With AI and automation set to displace 92 million jobs globally by 2030, skilling efforts will define the future of work. However, current skilling initiatives fail to address gender disparities, leaving women underrepresented in AI, big data and fintech.

Governments with strong female leadership invest in gender-targeted reskilling programmes. Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, for example, backed by a government with 50% female ministers, has invested in initiatives to upskill women in STEM fields and high-growth industries.

Without female leadership advocating for these policies, women risk being left behind in the digital economy.

At the current rate of progress, we are almost two centuries away from gender parity in political representation. So how do we accelerate change?

Countries that have gender quotas in political office see faster and more sustained increases in female representation, leading to significant policy and economic shifts. Rwanda, which leads the world in female parliamentary representation, implemented legal gender quotas in 2003 that mandated a minimum of 30% of seats be held by women. This quota system, combined with strong political will, has resulted in women holding 61% of parliamentary seats, surpassing most high-income nations.

Mexico, Argentina, France and Norway have also seen positive effects from quotas. However, gender quotas are not without challenges. In some cases, tokenism can result in women being elected but not given real decision-making power. Despite these challenges, the data is clear: gender quotas accelerate female political representation and drive policy changes that benefit economies and societies at large. As more countries adopt these measures, the global workforce stands to gain from a more equitable and inclusive economic system.

Women face disproportionate challenges in running for office, including financial barriers, bias in political parties and unpaid caregiving responsibilities. Policy interventions, such as campaign financing support for female candidates and leadership training programmes, can accelerate progress.

Women face significant financial barriers when running for office, receiving less funding than male candidates, which limits their ability to compete. In the U.S., women running for Congress raised 29% less than men, while in Mexico, female candidates received 38% less public funding before parity reforms.

Political party biases and unpaid caregiving duties further limit women’s candidacy. Countries like New Zealand, Canada and Sweden have introduced childcare and parental leave policies for female politicians, removing caregiving as a barrier. Eliminating these financial and structural barriers is essential to achieving gender parity in leadership.

Governments and businesses must work together to ensure that corporate leadership reflects workforce demographics. Countries with greater gender diversity in corporate boards tend to have stronger gender-equal labour policies, as public and private sectors influence one another.

The jobs of the future are being shaped now — through legislative decisions, corporate policies and public investments. If we continue on the current path, women will remain underrepresented in political power and economic opportunity.

But we have a choice. By electing more women, supporting female leadership and implementing structural reforms, we can ensure that the policies shaping the labour market reflect the entire workforce — not just a fraction of it.

The gender gap in political leadership is an economic gap. Losing it is not just a matter of fairness, but a blueprint for economic prosperity.