Slides by M-O.Strauss-Kahn, "Gender balance in economics & central banking", OMFIF, Gender Balance Index Launch Europe, London March 7, 2018

1. OMFIF: Gender Balance Index Launch Europe, March 7, 2018 - London
Gender balance in economics & central banking
Marc-Olivier Strauss-Kahn, Banque de France *
* This document does not commit the Banque de France or the Eurosystem
I. Imbalances in Economics & EU central banks II. Factors & Remedies

2. The rising share by PhD cohorts is stalling
I.1 Imbalances in Economic Research (background)
RePEc Female
Shares by PhD
Cohorts %
Out of 50K+ RePEc authors, 19% are female
Better in European countries: Eastern + Latin
Visual: S. Zignago, BLOG, Banque de France
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France imbalance < US, but in both countries,
promotion halved by a glass ceiling

3. I.2 Imbalances in EU central banking (focus)
1. In EU central banks (CBs), all staff included, women are 46% but < 1/3 in management
More precisely, 1% of women workforce are senior managers (versus 2% of men)
Highest CBs include Eastern ones but, in FR + UK only, > 10% of all women = managers
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2. In Banque de France, women’s shares are progressing, but slowly:
• True, 42% of the ‘Conseil general’, 34% of the managers and 47% of the officers
• But only ≈ 23% of senior managers (1/2 in DG economics) and 2017 ≈ 2014:
1/3 of (Dep) Gov., 1/5 of (Dep) Dir. General, 1/4 of (Dep) Directors
=> 2016-2020 goal : from 23 to 30% of senior management (same % as now in RePEc for BDF)

4. 1. Tentative Factors (* abridged from C. SAHM, St. Louis Fed Symposium, Feb. 22, 2018)
- Math? Not sure since STEM better *
(see Amanda BAYER & David WILCOX and Annex)
- Less interest in economics? Possibly *
(see Tatyana AVILOVA & Claudia GOLDIN)
To be related to OECD PISA tests
- Culture, sexism or implicit bias? Likely *
(see Alice WU & Heather SARSONS in Annex)
II. SOME FACTORS & REMEDIES
Ec : higher/rising dissatisfaction between US women
& men responding “very” or “somewhat” (% point)
But why less imbalance in Eastern CBs?
Historical reasons & attractiveness of security
despite lower wages in public institutions
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Beyond the link between imbalances in economics studies & central-banking:

5. II.2. POTENTIAL REMEDIES
In Economics: need to study, publish (BDF BLOG, 3.8.18: ), encourage, mentor, …
To discuss this, we would need another Panel!
In Central banking, what are the best practices?
- Set corporate gender/diversity policy framework & targets for senior managers
- Establish both a high-level Sponsor and a bottom-up approach
- Inform not only via intranet but also via dedicated parts of the external website
- Participate in diversity events for recruitment
- Promote diversity in reports and debates
- Celebrate Women’s Day … every day!
=> As diversity fuels innovation & productivity, don’t forget other imbalances:
ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, age, culture & religion, etc.
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6. Annex:
% of doctoral degrees
awarded to US females
STEM: Science, Tech,
Engineering, Math
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1. US = Lower/flatter than STEM (both PhDs & tenure) & REPEc /countries
2. Sexism in economics? Table by Alice WU (2017)
(S. Zignago, BLOG Banque de France, 3.7.18)
Women shares among RePEc-registered economists
Chart by Heather SARSONS (2017)