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 of ten 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.