As I understand it, the Governors at the IMF/WB are usually the Finance Minister/Treasury Secretary or Central Bank Governor of their member country. Executive Directors are usually drawn from a country's civil service or elite economists. In essence, these are political appointments by (the legislative/executive branch of) sovereign states. The actual staffs of the Bretton Woods institutions are not eligible for appointments or promotions into the Board of Governor or Executive Board. Thus, the gender imbalance discussed by WEDO is not really about recruiting policies in the IMF/WB so much as the appointment decisions of individual member countries. Changes in these positions must be carried out through pressure at the state level.
It would be more appropriate to look at the "officers" of the IMF/WB staff if one is interested to examine the glass-ceiling problem.
In the IMF, there are 6 women filling 33 of the officer slots. It should also be noted in all fairness that an American woman, Anne Krueger is the First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF. The influence of the Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director at these institutions is quite substantial and should not be discounted.
On the World Bank end, one of the four Managing Directors is Dr. Mamphela Ramphele of South Africa (I think). Five of the 31 key positions are occupied by women.
I agree that women should have far greater representation in these organizations at all levels, but it would be more effective if the e-mail by WEDO promoting such changes reflected a better understanding of the organizational structure of these intergovernmental institutions.
Best,
Vikash Yadav Philadelphia, PA
-----Original Message----- From: owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com [mailto:owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com]On Behalf Of Diane Monaco Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2002 09:43 PM To: femecon-l at bucknell.edu; iaffe-l at lists.ccs.carleton.ca; kenapocomoco at manchester.edu; genderstudiescouncil at manchester.edu; pen-l at galaxy.csuchico.edu; m-fem at csf.colorado.edu; lbo-talk at lists.panix.com Subject: women and world financial institutions
Analysis of Women In World Financial Institutions
>
>Please circulate all or the main part of the following:
>
>The US-based group WEDO (Women's Environment & Development Organisation -
>www.wedo.org) have issued a Gender breakdown of top posts at the world's
>financial institutions. The clear point WEDO makes is that 'gender blind'
>recruitment practices are not only NOT a virtue, they actively enhance the
>grip of the minority sex, a point most men fail to understand.
>
>Boards of Governors
>
>International Monetary Fund: men 97.8% women 2.2%
>World Bank: men 94.5% women 5.5%
>
>Boards of Directors
>
>International Monetary Fund: men 100% women (guess)
>World Bank: men 91.7% women 8.3%
>
>Despite repeated requests from WEDO, the World Trade Organisation refused to
>supply any data. Info on this welcome to - tim.symonds at shevolution.com
>
>The above institutions are in theory in existence to help narrow the gap
>between the world's poor and the better-off. Here is the breakdown of the
>world's poor:
>
>men 30% women 70%
>
>
>For further information please contact Doris Mpoumou at WEDO's Gender &
>Governance Program. doris at wedo.org
>-----------end-------------