FEWER than one-third of the most senior jobs in the UK are held by women, according to new figures.
Women occupy on average 30.9% of top jobs across 11 sectors, research by BBC News has shown, including business, politics and policing.
The armed forces and judiciary have the fewest women in top posts – 1.3% and 13.2% respectively – while secondary education has the most at more than one-third, or 36.7%.
According to the findings, women represent 1.3% of brigadiers or their equivalent and above across the Army, Navy and RAF; 13.2% of the most senior judges; 14.2% of university vice-chancellors; 16.6% of the most senior staff in the police; and 34.7% of the senior civil service.
Women are most strongly represented in secondary education, where they make up 36.7% of headteachers, and in public appointments, where they account for 36.4%, the analysis found.
The European Commission is considering new laws to get more women into top management jobs. A public consultation on how to help women into top jobs ended on Monday.
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