Progression of women into senior leadership in the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)

Abstract

The post-1994 South African government promulgated legislation focusing on gender equality and the advancement of women in public and private institutions. This study examines the factors influencing women’s career progression within the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), a public sector division of the South African Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation. The qualitative study in the form of a case study which comprised a purposive sample often women occupying senior leadership roles in DIRCO. Data collection used semi-structured interviews through the MS Teams Online platform. The key findings identified institutional, individual, and sociocultural factors that impede women’s career progression into senior leadership roles, although the legislation noted above mediated the same within public organisations. Firstly, institutional factors included the nature of diplomatic work, the masculine organisational culture, and the deployment of political appointees in diplomatic services, which collectively reinforced the glass ceiling phenomena for women. Secondly, individual factors related to work-life balance challenges for women as career advancement involved long office hours, after-hours engagements, and diplomatic postings impacted family life demands. Thirdly, sociocultural factors negatively affecting career progression included stereotypes about the role of women in African society, religious beliefs, implicit and explicit ethnic discrimination, and in some cases, sexual harassment within the dominantly male diplomatic profession. Notwithstanding these barriers and challenges, South African legislation has mandatory provisions for organisations to comply with gender equality, women empowerment, and advancement policies.