The report “Representation Matters”, by the American management consulting firm Oliver Wyman, in collaboration with the World Bank and the organisation Women Political Leaders, analyses the impact of female representation in politics and its relationship with economic development, concluding that “global GDP (gross domestic product) could grow by more than 20% in the next decade if women had the same economic and political opportunities as men”.

According to a statement about the study, women occupy only 26% of parliamentary seats and 23% of ministerial positions worldwide, while in the European Parliament, female representation fell by one percentage point in 2024, to 39%.

“The disparity is even more evident in government leadership, where only 27 of the world’s 193 countries are led by a woman, and in only 15 of these countries do women hold real decision-making power,” the statement said, adding that “if the current pace of progress continues, it will take more than 40 years to achieve political parity at the global level.”

In addition to politics, women also face barriers to accessing leadership positions in the economy and “earn, on average, only 80% of men’s income and have less than two-thirds of the legal rights” attributed to them.

Wage gap

In 2024, women in Portugal earned on average 242 euros less per month than men, compared to 141 euros in 2014, which means that in 10 years the difference increased by 71.63%, according to an analysis by recruitment company Randstad Research.

This study also indicates that last year the country recorded an improvement of 25.2 percentage points (p.p.) in the number of women in management positions, having equalled the European average with a percentage of 34.7%.

The Gender Equality Index, published by the European Institute for Gender Equality, was 68.6 points in Portugal in 2024, keeping the country in 15th place in the European Union, 2.4 points below the bloc's average.

The “Representation Matters” report indicates that the “lack of equality of opportunity” continues to be a significant obstacle to the advancement of women in politics, as does the “absence of adequate legal protections”.

The implementation of gender quotas in parliaments and political parties and the approval of legislation against harassment and political gender-based violence are strategies recommended in the report to reduce disparities.

To facilitate women's access to the labour market, it is important to ensure equal pay, strengthen maternity and paternity rights and increase investment in “accessible child support services”.

“Ensuring women’s representation in decision-making processes is essential for sustainable development and a stronger global economy,” the report highlights, adding that “ensuring that women have a seat at the decision-making table is a fundamental step towards building more just and equitable societies.”