Female leadership in public administration in the Canton Quinindé, Ecuador

Abstract

his research addresses Female Leadership in the Decentralized Autonomous Government (GAD) of Quinindé, aiming to analyze the barriers and opportunities for women to access leadership positions in this institution. The methodology employed a mixed approach, including surveys and interviews with female officials from the GAD, as well as a review of institutional documents. The results reveal that structural and cultural barriers persist, limiting women's access to leadership positions, such as stereotypes and the lack of gender equality policies in the institution. Despite this, opportunities were identified to improve the situation, such as the growing awareness of gender equity at the local and national levels. The conclusions suggest the need to implement more inclusive public policies and specific training programs for women to promote equal opportunities in public administration. It is recommended to continue researching the impact of these policies and the experiences of female leadership in other GADs in Ecuador.