This path remains dependent on the struggle of feminist organizations, the role of leftist and progressive parties, the strength of trade unions, in addition to supportive public policies and laws, and renewed institutional cultures based on full equality between women and men, along with educational programs and development policies that ensure both gender and class justice across society. In my view, feminist liberation is not completed merely through women's access to positions of power, but through transforming the prevailing system and building a classless system based on equality, shared wealth, and participatory decision-making, guaranteeing full equality and equal opportunities for every individual in society.
Bayan Saleh
*(Bayan Saleh)*
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### **Empowering Women in Denmark: A Local Path Within a Global Movement Toward Empowerment**
In a qualitative step toward achieving gender equality, Denmark has witnessed in recent years a noticeable rise in women’s representation within positions of influence and decision-making, both in political and economic realms. A recent report by the “Elite and Power Studies Association” highlights that the proportion of women within what is known as the “governing elite” has risen significantly, with women now actively participating in policymaking circles and influencing public policy. This development reflects the outcome of long social struggles led by feminist movements and progressive leftist forces within Danish society.
Data indicates that the share of women among the elite increased from 19% in 2012 to around 31% in 2024, a progression that reflects an unprecedented rise in women’s participation within networks that influence major policies and decisions. A particularly clear advancement has been observed in the economic sector, where the percentage of women in corporate decision-making positions rose from about 12.5% to 24.2% over the same decade, even though these positions remain largely governed by market logic and capitalist profit. The development is not limited to numerical figures, but also includes an enhanced presence of women within influential networks, as they now have strong representation among the top 50 most central figures in power networks—an indicator of their deepening role in decision-making, even if this role often remains constrained under the existing economic system.
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### **The Reality of Women’s Leadership Globally: Power Dynamics Confront Traditional Models**
Globally, women’s representation in leadership positions remains below the desired and necessary level. Women occupy less than one-third of the seats in national parliaments worldwide, and an even smaller percentage in executive ministerial positions. This reality reflects a deep structural imbalance linked to the nature of political and economic power under the global capitalist system, where centers of decision-making remain governed by historical networks dominated by masculine and class-based structures. Even in countries that have achieved legislative progress, women’s presence in leadership often results from top-down balancing mechanisms or quota policies rather than a fundamental transformation in the structure of power.
In the economic domain and private sector, statistics show that women constitute around 30% of corporate board members across the largest companies in 46 economies—a notable increase compared to previous decades, yet still insufficient to achieve full balance. More importantly, there is a gap between numerical representation and the actual ability to influence strategic decisions, as top executive positions—such as CEO or board chair—remain overwhelmingly held by men. This gap is especially evident in major economies like the United States and Germany, where despite rising numbers of women on boards, real decision-making power remains concentrated in male hands.
In comparing Scandinavian countries, Norway records the highest women’s representation on corporate boards at around 46%, followed by Sweden at approximately 40%, while Denmark reached 38%. This progress reflects the role of interventionist social policies, equality legislation, and strong feminist and trade union movements that imposed themselves within the framework of the “welfare state.” However, even in these countries, debates continue regarding the limits of such progress and the extent to which it remains tied to an economic model that, despite its social character, still operates within the boundaries of capitalism.
Moving to other regions of the world, disparities become more pronounced. In Latin America, countries such as Chile and Mexico have achieved notable progress in women’s representation in government and parliaments, with women in some cases reaching the presidency or holding sovereign ministries. Yet these successes often collide with highly unequal economic conditions and social systems that reproduce gender inequality, especially within working and impoverished classes.
In the Arab world, women’s representation in political and economic leadership remains extremely limited, despite some partial exceptions. In Tunisia and Morocco, constitutional reforms and quota systems contributed to increasing women’s share in parliaments, yet their presence in executive decision-making remains weak. In the Gulf states, examples of women occupying ministerial or high administrative roles exist, but they are often the result of top-down decisions rather than profound social change. In countries like Iraq, Egypt, and Jordan, women face difficult barriers including patriarchal structures, economic crises, weak rule of law, and the decline of feminist, trade union, and leftist movements. And even when women reach parliamentary or ministerial positions, they often operate within conservative political frameworks that limit their ability to push forward an actual equality agenda.
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### **Expert Opinions: Between Progress and Persistent Challenges**
Experts in leadership and development argue that progress in women’s representation does not signify the end of the road, but rather the beginning of a new and more complex stage. Despite the growing number of women on corporate boards globally, their representation in top positions—such as CEO or board chair—remains very limited in many countries, reflecting the persistence of male dominance at the top of the economic and political hierarchy.
Experts link this challenge to continuous institutional and social barriers such as implicit biases, difficulties in balancing work and family, lack of support and mentoring programs, and the nature of capitalist labor markets that reproduce gender and class inequalities.
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### **International Examples: Diverse Paths and Outcomes**
* **United Kingdom:** Women’s share on boards of the largest listed companies rose to around 44.7% in 2025, with ongoing calls—especially from trade unions and feminist movements—to boost representation in top executive roles.
* **Iceland:** Considered one of the most advanced models in gender equality, where the leadership gap has been nearly closed, and women have held all major national positions during certain periods, as a result of clear leftist policies and strict legislation.
* **Sweden:** Despite its progress, it faces challenges related to rising levels of threats and violence against women in public life, which may affect the sustainability of women’s political representation and reveals that legal progress does not eliminate social conflict.
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### **Conclusion: Denmark in a Global Context**
The Danish experience can be described as a relatively progressive model in empowering women within decision-making positions, based on tangible development in political and economic representation, and comparable to what exists in advanced Scandinavian countries. However, there remains considerable space to enhance women’s presence, particularly at the highest levels of executive and political leadership, where access to decisive power centers remains limited for women.
A careful reading of the landscape shows that reaching full balance still demands additional efforts, especially in breaking the glass ceiling that restricts women from reaching the top of the executive and political hierarchy, such as the position of CEO or board chair. Quantitative progress in representation does not necessarily mean a qualitative transformation in the structure of power itself. Nevertheless, Denmark’s success in reducing the gender gap represents a beacon of hope in a turbulent global capitalist context, affirming that equitable representation between genders is an unavoidable necessity for achieving development and societal stability in the 21st century. It also demonstrates that achieving tangible progress is possible even within capitalist systems, although such progress remains limited and incomplete.
This path remains dependent on the struggle of feminist organizations, the role of leftist and progressive parties, the strength of trade unions, in addition to supportive public policies and laws, and renewed institutional cultures based on full equality between women and men, along with educational programs and development policies that ensure both gender and class justice across society. In my view, feminist liberation is not completed merely through women's access to positions of power, but through transforming the prevailing system and building a classless system based on equality, shared wealth, and participatory decision-making, guaranteeing full equality and equal opportunities for every individual in society.
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