Gender and leadership in public higher education in South Asia: examining the individual, socio-cultural and organizational barriers to female inclusion

Unlocking the potential of women in a male dominated society: Key challenges and solutions in integrating women in digital economic activities

“…According to Edgar and Manz (2017), convenience sampling allows the inclusion of participants or respondents in the data collection process based on the convenient location where the researchers that is, interviewers can reach easily. Since the research was conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where traveling can be difficult, and access to women is culturally demotivated, convenience sampling was the most effective method to include participants, who were easily accessible and interested to participate in this study (Islam et al, 2023).…”

Advancing gender parity in educational leadership: Insights from selected secondary schools in Shinyanga Municipality

“…Gender equality in leadership positions is an important mechanism for involving people of both genders in educational institutions and other spheres of life. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in women's representation in managerial roles in the workplace (Islam et al, 2023). Despite these increases, women continue to face substantial barriers and challenges in accessing senior leadership positions in the educational domain (Mbepera, 2017).…”

“…Concerning individual factors, women encounter distinct challenges during the process of performing their responsibilities as leaders in different sectors. It has been found that women often lack confidence due to a system that fails to empower them through adequate role models and fair promotion practices (Islam et al, 2023). This lack of support stands as a significant obstacle for women who aspire to become leaders.…”

“…This, in turn, contributes to individual challenges such as low self-esteem and lack of confidence among potential female leaders, as highlighted by Amondi, (2017). Some studies have revealed that there are women who reject administrative positions because of the burden of family responsibilities (Chabaya et al, 2009;Islam et al, 2023). Women's prioritisation of family duties over leadership positions is nurtured by cultural biases and discrimination that consider women, even when holding institutional administrative positions, to continue to endure a significant burden of family responsibilities.…”

“…Women's prioritisation of family duties over leadership positions is nurtured by cultural biases and discrimination that consider women, even when holding institutional administrative positions, to continue to endure a significant burden of family responsibilities. These women fear that their leadership roles might be perceived as refuting their cultural role as mothers; therefore, causing conflicts between family and work (Islam et al, 2023). It has further been noticed that negative stereotypes and biases held by both women and men cause a serious obstacle for women in accessing higher administrative positions within the organisation (Gaus, 2011).…”