The #allmalepanel hashtag has done an impressive job in recent years of pointing out just how often government and private industry panels and conferences are dominated by men, often clad in matching dark suits, without a woman in sight. But now, the hashtag that has been around since 2013 is gaining ground in the international development and aid sector, where women’s issues are often at the top of the agenda and where women make up a significant part of the workforce. Lindsay Coates, president of InterAction, which runs one of the largest annual forums for global nonprofits, told NPR that invitations to speak on panels are often reserved for CEOs and other high-level executives, and that they’re often men. Others said that female experts on particular issues or regions can often be hard to find.
“We’ve had instances where we invited a more junior female person from a large, famous international institution that I can’t name — and her boss bumped her off and [took her place],” Coates said. “That was very awkward.”
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair (R) addresses the Global Counterrorism Forum aside the 68th United Nations General Assembly, in New York, September 27, 2013. Photo credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
But a change is starting to take place. The #allmalepanel hashtag has spawned a number of online pledges across industries where leaders can pledge to have female representation on panels. The head of the Center for Global Development, Owen Barder, started his own “I Will Not Be Part of Male-Only Panels” pledge in February. More than 500 others have since signed the pledge.
Read the full story at NPR.
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