Gender equality in the finance sector

Abstract

This chapter aims to analyze the role of women in the financial sector’s labor market in developed and developing countries and to assess if the financial sector is a case for closing gaps or is another old boys’ club like many other sectors. Although the financial sector appears to be one of the best-performing sectors in terms of gender diversity, with women having a higher share of employment than men’s, a qualitative analysis provides contrary evidence pointing to a gender employment and wage gap. Despite remarkable progress, women representation on the top decision positions in financial institutions, in bank boards or central bank governance still remains too low across the world, while the gender wage gap is alarming, especially in developed economies.