Women Have Made Progress in National Security Leadership Positions

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  "authors": [
    "Deepti Choubey",
    "Paula D. Broadwell",
    "Laura S.H. Holgate"
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  "topics": [
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In The Media

Women Have Made Progress in National Security Leadership Positions

Women's leadership in international security is moving from the sidelines to center court, but the bench is not deep enough, and too many women are taking themselves out of the game. President-elect Obama’s administration should draw on the pool of talented women to bring fresh perspective to his international security team.

By Deepti Choubey, Paula D. Broadwell, Laura S.H. Holgate

Published on Dec 12, 2008

Source: US News & World Report

The appointment of Susan Rice as ambassador to the United Nations and Hillary Clinton as secretary of state shows that women have made considerable strides in international security leadership. Yet problems remain – for example, women make up fourteen percent of all Army personnel, but only five percent of the officer corps – and there is a serious disconnect between the large pool of women studying international relations and serving in the military and the number of women in top security leadership positions.

Women in International Security at the Center for Peace and Security Studies at Georgetown University examined the status of women working in leadership positions in international security institutions, including the United Nations and key agencies of the U.S. government. The study found that in the United States, as well as the international community at large, equal representation is not yet a reality. President-elect Obama’s administration should continue the positive trend it started with the appointment of Susan Rice and Hillary Clinton and draw on the large supply of talented women to bring fresh perspective to his international security team.

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About the Authors

Deepti Choubey

Former Deputy Director, Nuclear Policy Program

Choubey was previously the director of the Peace and Security Initiative for the Ploughshares Fund. She also worked for Ambassador Nancy Soderberg in the New York office of the International Crisis Group.

Paula D. Broadwell

Laura S.H. Holgate

Political Reform Security Military North America United States

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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