THE IMPACT OF GENDER ASPECTS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR ON GOVERNANCE EFFECTIVENESS

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines gender aspects of leadership as an institutional determinant of public administration effectiveness, emphasizing that the formal presence of women in the civil service system does not automatically translate into equal access to strategic decision-making positions, thereby generating asymmetries in governance processes.

The purpose of the study is to identify the mechanisms through which gender aspects of leadership in public authorities and local self-government bodies influence governance effectiveness, as well as to substantiate the conditions under which this influence acquires practical significance.

Materials and methods. The methodological framework is based on systemic and institutional approaches, methods of comparative analysis, generalization and interpretation of empirical data, as well as the analysis of international and national statistical sources, public administration case studies, and findings from meta-analytical research.

Results. It is substantiated that the key determinant of governance effectiveness is not the level of formal gender representation, but the configuration of access to the managerial core. In particular, despite the numerical dominance of women in the civil service (118,285 out of 156,276 employees in 2024), their share in top-level positions remains only 30.4%, which creates institutional asymmetry of influence. It is established that such disproportions lead to a narrowing of the analytical framework of decision-making, the persistence of policy “blind spots,” and reduced adaptability of governance systems. The study demonstrates that the positive impact of gender aspects of leadership is conditionally determined and manifests through three key channels: resource-based (enhanced fiscal capacity), institutional-organizational (increased ability to attract funding), and integrity-related (reduction of corruption risks, particularly during early stages of elite turnover).

Prospects. Further research should focus on developing integrated models for assessing the impact of gender-structured leadership on public administration performance, as well as on empirically verifying the interaction between gender factors, bureaucratic quality, digitalization, and public accountability mechanisms.