Less women in senior management positions

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

Although Sri Lankan women contribute immensely to the development of the economy the number of women in top positions such as CEOs in large companies still remains very low, UN Resident Co-ordinator’s Office Colombo, Gender Advisor Shyamala Gomez said.

According to a survey by a researcher on the number of women in senior management positions in large companies found that there was only one female Chief Executive Officer (CEO)in 2009 among the 40 Most Valuable Brands (MVB) of Sri Lanka and among the next 33 companies there were only three female CEOs.

In MVB 50 companies, 34 out of the 50 companies surveyed still had no women in their boards.

These statistics show that the forces that are holding the progress of women are still very strong but the progress women have made in moving up the ranks in middle management has improved. Gomez said the attitude of men about women at work is negative as they are burdened with family responsibilities, going on maternity leave and not being able to work long hours.

“But this has to be shared equally with the men as the family is part of their responsibility too,” Gomez said.

The first woman General Manager in the banking sector and current Browns Group Chairperson Rohini Nanayakkara said the systems have developed today with modern technology and women must also be assertive and must be prepared to accept challenges such as transfers, long hours of work and be recognized as capable women in order to take higher positions.

“Then men will look at her by the position no matter that person is a man or a woman,” she said.

Nanayakkara said the percentage of women CEOs still remains at one to two percent and the number of directors in large companies is even much lesser than that.