Gender Diversity in Top Management

his thesis explores gender diversity in top management roles within The Gambia’s public sector, focusing on the structural, institutional, and cultural factors that influence female representation in leadership. Despite national and international policy commitments, women remain significantly underrepresented in executive roles across public institutions. Grounded in a robust theoretical framework—including Upper Echelon Theory, Stakeholder Theory, Tokenism Theory, Glass Ceiling and Glass Cliff Theories, and Representative Bureaucracy Theory—the study examines the barriers that hinder women’s advancement and evaluates the effectiveness of existing gender policies. A quantitative research design was employed, using structured surveys distributed across public sector entities. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, primarily chi-square tests, to assess the relationship between gender and leadership representation, policy awareness, and attitudes toward reform. The findings reveal that entrenched cultural norms, organizational practices, and weak enforcement of gender policies contribute to the persistent gender gap. Respondents expressed strong support for the introduction of mandatory gender quotas as a mechanism to improve equity in leadership Based on the results, the study proposes a three-pillar conceptual framework for advancing gender equity, comprising legal-policy reform, institutional transformation, and socio-cultural change. This integrated model aims to guide policymakers and public administrators in developing targeted, evidence-based strategies. The study contributes to the literature on gender and public administration by highlighting the interplay between demographic representation, institutional accountability, and cultural expectations. Limitations related to survey scope and generalizability are acknowledged, with suggestions for future research including qualitative interviews and longitudinal assessments of policy impact