I refer to the Question Time feature titled ‘The glass ceiling’ which asked: “What is the real problem stopping more women from assuming top executive positions in Maltese companies?” (January 13).

Rather than a glass ceiling, the metaphor that is increasingly being used internationally to illustrate the lack of women in leadership positions is the ‘leaking pipeline’.

While the number of women graduates continues to increase, their presence within higher levels of public and private organisations diminishes consistently until few are left at the very top. Some areas such as science and technology are particularly badly affected but even in the health sector, which has a predominantly female workforce, there are hardly any women in top clinical positions and in the public sector few women occupy top positions today.

In Malta, the situation also affects politics because although women are very active in the grassroots and local councils, their presence in higher levels of political organisations diminishes. The lack of women leaders appears to trigger a negative vicious cycle since the younger generations do not find role models they can look up to and end up accepting that the top echelons are the sole confine of men.

The issue is complex and multifaceted and the temptation to embrace simple fixes should be avoided. One solution being advocated within international fora is that related to visibility. If we can work towards ensuring that panels presenting and discussing serious issues in meetings, conferences and on the media do not end up being ‘manels’ (a panel made up solely of men) we can hopefully combat the stereotype that serious business and discussion is better left to men.

In the meantime, funding and support of local research to better understand the phenomenon of the ‘leaking pipeline’ in Malta, including in private sector organisations, would be important to ensure that the solutions proposed really address the root causes. There is abundant evidence to show that mixed-gender teams achieve higher levels of organisational performance. Therefore, addressing the ‘leaking pipeline’ has advantages that go beyond the objectives of gender equity.