CONTENTS Voices above the parapet When it comes to holding positions of authority, men tend to dominate. But what of the women who have broken through the glass ceiling? As the Above the Parapet project draws to a close, Purna Sen and Jade Cochran look at what those who have risen to positions of authority had to say about their journeys to seniority. “…the relentless[ness] of it, the media scrutiny, some of the gender stuff, with all of it: I would still say it’s worth it. That what you get to do and achieve, if you’ve got a sense of purpose about policies, programmes, inequities, changes that you would want to see to your society – politics gives you the opportunity to do that in a way that no other walk of life does. And the delight which comes with being able to fix things that have raised your hackles and your anger for many long years is a very big delight.” Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia 10 I LSE Connect I Winter 2015 I woman President of Malawi and first woman president in southern Africa; Roza Otunbayeva, first woman President of Kyrgyzstan and first woman president in Central Asia; Professor Sylvia Tamale, first woman Dean of a Law Faculty in Uganda and Africa; Julia Gillard, first woman to lead the Australian Labour Party and first woman Prime Minister of Australia; and Ruth Simmons, first African American person to head an Ivy League Institution, Brown University. Their experience is rich and deep; they provided valuable insights into how women have sought and shaped spaces to be heard and exercise influence. Being the first entails many challenges, but, as many pointed out, fighting for new space is an essential part of creating a different world: “There are numerous issues and challenges against which a serious female… has to stick her head above the parapet and face the first. Nevertheless, as we all know, walls develop cracks and it is those small gaps that provide women and other marginalised groups the opportunities to squeeze through the staid bricks and make their mark.” Professor Sylvia Tamale, first woman Dean of a Law Faculty in Uganda and Africa © 2015 LSE/Maria Moore T he ability to influence is central to shaping the world in which we live. Whether that is to influence politics, policy, how people think and what they know or how states work together – all vital features of public life – it helps to have people in positions where their voices can be heard. Interest in who shapes public life has started to move from the number of men and women “in charge” to the impact of male dominance across public life. The profile of decision-makers shapes the understanding of the lives of citizens and the ability to respond appropriately to people’s needs. Recognition of the positives and relevance of equality in senior public life has paralleled the interest in barriers and talk of the glass ceiling. While such concerns are absolutely warranted, what is as yet little understood is how women who seek seniority, with its corresponding ability to shape and influence public life, actually achieve this power. The Institute of Public Affairs’ Above the Parapet project sought to address this by studying the journeys of senior women in four fields: politics, diplomacy, academia and civil society. Drawing on interviews with 80 women across the world, alongside the accounts of 5 visiting fellows, we have explored the pathways that have taken women from 48 different countries across 6 continents to the height of public life. Participants were asked about the challenges they faced and how they dealt with them, what reflections they have and what advice they would like to share with those who wish to follow. By deliberately reaching out to a variety of women leaders, including black and minority women, lesbians and women with disabilities, to share their accounts, we have also sought to identify how intersectionality – the way that socio- economic structures such as class, age and race interconnect – has played a role in accessing power. All five Above the Parapet Visiting Fellows led the vanguard as “firsts” in their field. They were: Joyce Banda, first