2023 Volume 45 Issue 1 Pages 120-124
This study focuses on one of the United Nations SDGs to promote gender equality by placing more women in positions of power. Japanʼs ranking continues to languish at the lower end of the scale and systematic discrimination of women is a leading cause of this. Even so, higher education institutions are in a strong position to combat this situation and had been making progress until the pandemic hit where female workers were forced to shoulder a greater share of domestic duties and child-rearing. As a result, the number of female-written publications fell. On a more positive note, there are greater numbers of women participating in higher education; there is also a greater proportion of women in leadership roles.
New Zealandʼs position is much more equitable than Japanʼs. There is a much higher proportion of women at universities, both as students and as faculty, although the proportion of women falls as the level of the position rises. Part of the reason for this success is due to labour law reforms. These have instituted parental leave systems and increased flexibility to accommodate better work-life balances. Nevertheless, challenges persist. Despite progress, women are still the minority in high positions, they suffer sexual discrimination and harassment, and outcomes for racial minorities are particularly inequitable.
In the United States, there is a sharp contrast in university employment. Women are the majority of non-tenure track faculty, but only 36% of tenure-track. Even less than that are directors. Additionally, strong gender biases still exist in STEM fields.
