Less than 10 percent of the most senior jobs in British public life are held by women, despite the passing of sex discrimination laws almost 30 years ago.
A new survey by the UK Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) shows that women are still "massively" under-represented in positions of influence in business, the police, media and senior judiciary, even though more females are working than ever before.
Research by the EOC reveals that women account for just 7 percent of the senior judiciary and the senior ranks of Britain's police forces, and 1 percent of the senior ranks in the armed forces.
The research -- said to be the most detailed study of women's representation in senior positions -- reveals that just 9 percent of the country's top business leaders and national newspaper editors are women. This is despite the fact that women account for 45 percent of the workforce and 30 percent of managers.
There has been progress, but too many organizations pay insufficient regard to sexual equality when filling senior positions.
This discrimination even affects cultural life. Only 21 percent of the directors of major museums and art galleries are women. And not one woman chairs a national arts company, according to the EOC.
The commission's chairwoman, Julie Mellor, said: "Almost 30 years after the Sex Discrimination Act was passed, women are still massively under-represented in positions of influence in Britain.
"No one can argue any more that it's just a matter of time until more women make it to the top -- there have been talented women coming up in business, public life and politics for years.
The report, entitled Sex and Power: Who Runs Britain?, says that, despite all the talk of equality, most organizations have left the same kind of people in charge.
"Open the door of any boardroom or council chamber and the chances are that most people around the table will be men," it says. "It's not democratic, it's not balanced and it's not good for business."
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