Glass ceiling and advance,ment of women in decision making in the public service of Mauritius

Abstract

Glass ceiling is one of the barriers that hinder women’s advancement. These barriers are viewed as artificial because they are social constructed. Moreover, they show a marked difference between those who have achieved self-actualisation and those left behind. In this context, women are often marginalized or misrepresented. It is for this reason that this dissertation aimed to explore the advancement of women in the public service with specific reference to Mauritius. A content analysis approach was chosen to undertake this research endeavour. This entailed undertaking a conceptual study which was appropriate considering that this is a mini dissertation. The investigated literature revealed that women are not equally represented in the economy. This seems to be a global problem. It was further found that women in Mauritius were successful in fighting for their rights and proving themselves equal to men in the professional domain in the public sector. It was, however, noted that employees are not evenly distributed in the various ministries in Mauritius. Breaking the glass ceiling would be possible, provided women work together to overcome these barriers. It is recommended that women who aspire to advance to executive management, should take the necessary initiatives to show that they are eager to break the ceiling.

Die glasplafon is een van die hindernisse wat die bevordering van vroue bemoeilik. Hierdie hindernisse word as kunsmatig beskou omdat dit sosiaal geformuleer is. Boonop toon dit ’n beduidende verskil tussen dié vroue wat selfverwesenliking bereik het en dié vroue wat agterweë gebly het. In hierdie konteks word vroue dikwels gemarginaliseer of wanvoorgestel. Die doel van hierdie proefskrif was om die bevordering van vroue in die staatsdiens te ondersoek, met spesifieke verwysing na Mauritius. ’n Inhoudsontledingsbenadering is aangeneem vir hierdie navorsingsonderneming. Hierdie benadering het die onderneming van ’n konseptuele studie behels. Die literatuur wat bestudeer is, het getoon dat vroue nie in ’n gelyke mate voorgestel word in die ekonomie nie. Dit blyk ’n wêreldwye probleem te wees. Daar is verder vasgestel dat vroue in Mauritius daarin geslaag het om vir hulle regte te veg en om hulleself as gelykstaande aan mans op professionele gebied in die openbare sektor te bewys. Daar is wel agtergekom dat vroulike werknemers nie gelyk versprei is in die verskeie ministerskappe in Mauritius nie. Dit is moontlik om deur die glasplafon te breek, mits vroue saamwerk om hierdie tipe hindernisse te oorkom. Daar word aanbeveel dat vroue wat daarna streef om bevorder te word na uitvoerende bestuursposisies, die nodige inisiatief moet neem om te wys dat hulle entoesiasties is om deur die glasplafon te breek.

Sihibe sabomake ngulesinye setihibe letivimba kutfutfuka kwabomake. Letihibe titsatfwa njengaletingaphatseki ngobe takhiwe kutenhlalo. Ngetulu kwaloko, tikhombisa umehluko lomkhulu emkhatsini wabomake lasebaphumelele kanye nalabo labasalele emuva. Kulengcikitsisimo, bomake bavamise kunganakwa noma-ke bangamelelwa kahle. Inhloso yaledizetheshini kuhlolisisa kutfutfuka kwabomake kutemisebenti yahulumende, ngekubhekisa kakhulu eMauritius.

Kusetjentiswe luhlatiyo lwalokucuketfwe ekwenteni lolucwaningo. Lendlela ifake ekhatsi kuchuba sifundvo semcondvo. Imibhalo lesetjentisiwe ikhombise kutsi bomake abakamelelwa ngalokwenele kutemnotfo. Loku kubonakala sengatsi kuyinkinga yemave emhlaba. Kwaphindze futsi kwatfolakala kutsi eMauritius bomake baphumelela kulwela emalungelo abo kanye nekutikhombisa balingana nabobabe emkhakheni wetebungcweti emkhakheni wahulumende. Nanoma kunjalo, kwabonakala kutsi, basebenti besifazane abakasabalali ngalokulinganako ematikweni aseMauritius. Kuyakhoneka kwephula sihibe, kuphela-nje uma ngabe bomake basebenta ngekubambisana kute bancobe letinhlobo tetihibe. Kunconywa kutsi bomake banenshisekelo yekukhuphukela etikhundleni tekuphatsa batsatsa tingenelelo kukhombisa kutsi bayakulangatelela kwephula lesihibe.