Report Card on Women in International Security

Background

Women have made enormous strides in the past two decades in international affairs. In the United States, two women have served in the position of Secretary of State. Women are in Congress, on the Supreme Court, and in many senior positions in government. Internationally, women are serving as heads of state, ministers, and members of parliament in greater numbers than ever before. However, in the U.S. and within the international community, equal representation is not yet a reality, especially at the senior levels of policymaking, academia, think tanks, and in the corporate sector. In the U.S., more than half of university students in international affairs related programs are women, yet this education is not translating into equal representation in the profession.

The need is evident for both qualitative and quantitative data gathering on women’s presence in key decision-making roles in international peace and security. Although it is generally acknowledged that women are under-represented in various sectors of international affairs, the actual numbers are not easily assessable, and there is no comprehensive source for this information. Such information is crucial for governments, multinational organizations, civil society, and the private sector to identify the gaps that need to be addressed and steps that need to be taken for women to achieve equal opportunities for advancement.

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Project Goal

During 2007-2008, WIIS is conducting a study on women’s representation in international affairs-related career sectors. The “report card” study will present comprehensive data on women in senior decision-making positions, including statistics and qualitative data, and aim to examine the current state of professional women in the field. The first report card will focus on U.S. foreign and defense career fields:

• Academia & International Affairs Journals
• U.S. Government
  
• U.S. Intelligence Agencies
• U.S. Military
• Private Sector (Defense Contractors and Consulting Firms)
• Think Tanks
  

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Public Events

In conjunction with the report card, WIIS is hosting a series of roundtable career discussions on women’s advancement and leadership in these sectors throughout 2007-2008. The panels will feature women in senior positions who will share their substantive expertise and their insights about the challenges and opportunities for women in the field. The events will also allow younger women to discuss their own perceptions of opportunities in the field.

Find out more about WIIS' Mentoring Program - On-Site Career Panels and Mentoring Circles - [Read More]