Women 'missing out' on top jobs

The report was published to mark International Women's Day

Women hold fewer than one in five of the top jobs in Wales, a report has claimed.

Research by the Equal Opportunities Commission concludes the progress of women in Wales over the past two years has been "bitterly disappointing".

The report points out there are no female chairs of police authorities or university vice-chancellors in Wales.

But the commission praises the increase in female Welsh MPs and in the Welsh assembly, where 50% of AMs are women.

The report, entitled "Who Runs Wales?", has been published to mark International Women's Day on Wednesday.

It said there has been "little progress" getting women into the leadership of public bodies in Wales.

I do think you need you have to be able to work quite hard and shout loudly Gwenda Thomas AM

The study - compiled with help from the Wales Women's National Coalition - adds: "Thirty years after the introduction of sex equality legislation, women continue to be excluded from the boardrooms and council chambers where decisions are taken.

"They are still more likely to be taking notes of the meeting or making the tea."

But the organisations acknowledge that since the 2004 report was published, the number of women MPs in Wales has doubled from four to eight.

New laws

Elan Closs Stephens, chair of Welsh-language television channel S4C, said women in Wales ought to be "proud" of the number of female AMs.

She told the BBC News website: "In the end you have to have a high profile field where women are the norm rather than the exception.

"I think there are still unsolved issues in terms of child care, caring for elderly parents and support structures. Women should be able to take career breaks without it penalising their long-term future.

Ms Stephens said there was still a "long way to go" to work out how women could fulfil their potential and remain a vital part of family life.

And she said of women who are promoted to top jobs: "If you do manage to attain any status or decision-making power, don't be shy in promoting other women."

New laws come into force next year which campaigners hope will transform public services in Wales.

'Men with vision'

The Gender Equality Duty will require all public bodies to promote sex equality and ensure the services they provide meet the needs of women and men.

Labour AM for Neath Gwenda Thomas said the process had been "slow in developing" considering it was 30 years since sex quality legislation came into force.

Mrs Thomas, chair of the assembly's equal opportunity committee, said she was particularly concerned about areas like care working, where women often worked under conditions men "would not have tolerated".

The AM said she owed a lot to "some men with vision" who promoted her at a time when there were very few women in local politics.

She told BBC Wales it was often harder for women to gain positions of power or influence than it was for men.

"I do think you need you have to be able to work quite hard and shout loudly," she said.