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Female Perspective Sorely Lacking at Davos

Gender equality slow to scale the Alps forum—and everyone's the worse for it

By Ambreen Ali, Newser User

Posted Jan 28, 2009 3:45 PM CST

(Newser) – Women may be the ticket out of the global recession, but World Economic Forum leaders wouldn’t know it. The predominantly male organizers have invited few women—5% of announced attendees—to the exclusive Davos forum, a misstep for a meeting billed “Shaping the Post-Crisis World,” Morice Mendoza writes in Der Spiegel: “The organization has not caught up with the 21st century.”

“The economic opportunity represented by women is one sure way that we can dig ourselves out of this economic crisis,” Mendoza continues, pointing out that companies with female board members outperform those without, economies benefit when women’s untapped skills are utilized, and—in the US—women make 80% of purchasing decisions. “It is a blue ocean waiting to be discovered,” Mendoza says.

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Davos kicked off today with few women in attendance. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

The attendees of the glitzy annual event are unaware of the potential women have to turn things around economically, Mendoza writes. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

The World Economic Forum leadership is predominantly male, with only 2 women among the 10 senior directors. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Maria Ramos, CEO of South African firm Transnet, South Africa, listens to questions during a media conference at Davos. She's the only female co-chair of the forum. (AP Photo)

The Alpine ski resort of Davos where the World Economic Forum is taking place. (Getty Images)

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The absence of an equal balance of women to men in the WEF's own leadership structure suggests that the organization itself has not caught up with the 21st century. - Morice Mendoza

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Female Perspective Sorely Lacking at Davos