When we talk about gender equality, the conversation often starts with numbers- how many women sit in leadership positions, how many occupy senior roles. But numbers alone are not enough. Placing women into leadership roles without transforming the systems around them risks representation without real change. This is a reality we cannot ignore.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, women can read their rights in law- on paper. Yet in reality nearly six out of ten women of working age remain outside the labor force. Without economic independence, justice is harder to claim, harder to afford, and harder to pursue. For many women, justice does not begin in the courtroom. It begins much earlier- in the economy.

It begins with the ability to earn an income, access decent work, and have time, security, and choices. When these foundations are missing, legal rights remain out of reach, no matter how well written. Gender equality, therefore, is not just a human rights issue. It is a matter of development.

Economic inequality is not accidental- it is structural. Women face barriers shaped by unequal access to opportunities, unpaid care responsibilities, occupational segregation, and persistent social norms.  Higher education does not automatically translate into equal employment, leadership, or decision-making. This is where the conversation on leadership becomes critical. We often ask: how do we get more women into leadership? Perhaps the more important question is: how is leadership achieved?

Leadership can be given- through quotas, appointments, or nominations. These measures are important, often necessary. But if systems remain unchanged, women are placed into environments that were not designed to support them. We risk focusing on numbers while ignoring norms, risking representation without transformation.

The alternative is leadership that is claimed. When women are prepared, supported, and confident- with access to education, mentorship, networks, and opportunities- leadership becomes sustainable, legitimate, and transformative. But this does not happen on its own. It requires investment. It requires systemic change.

Economic systems are not gender-neutral. Without stronger care systems, work-life balance policies, and fairer distribution of unpaid work, women’s participation- and leadership- will remain constrained. Without economic independence, access to justice is limited. Women without their own income are less likely to initiate legal proceedings, leave abusive environments, or challenge discrimination. Economic empowerment, leadership, and access to justice are deeply interconnected.

At UNDP, we approach gender equality holistically, and in partnership. We work with the Agency for Gender Equality of BiH as our key institutional partner to transform systems from within- through initiatives like the Gender Equality Seal, supporting both public and private sector institutions to become more inclusive, accountable, and responsive. Together we also support the Women Forum for Development as a platform for coalition-building and for laying the groundwork to localize the UNDP Equanomics framework- connecting data, policy dialogue, advocacy, and institutional practices to tackle the root causes of gender inequality in a systemic and sustainable way. We are proudly working with the UN family through the Gender Equality Accelerator, a joint initiative of UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA, and UNICEF. The programme addresses the elimination of gender-based violence, economic empowerment, and gender-responsive governance and leadership as interconnected pillars. Generously supported by the EU, Denmark, and Sweden, it represents a new model of multi-sectoral cooperation, ensuring that economic policies, social protection, and governance reforms work together to create an environment in which women can thrive. With other partners in private, public sector, academia, society and media we also enhance access to justice, including free legal aid, so women can claim their rights in practice, not only in theory. And we invest in leadership pathways- because leadership must be built, not assumed.

Another example is the Women Mentoring Network, implemented by Deloitte and Addiko Bank with UNDP. Over five years, it has supported more than 250 women across Bosnia and Herzegovina, helping them build skills, expand networks, and advance professionally. Beyond individual development, the Network fosters generational exchange by linking mid-career women with those just starting their careers, sharing experience and guidance, and building solidarity in a context where social norms and internalized misogyny, highlighted by our Gender Equality Barometer, limit potential. This year, on International Women’s Day, applications for the programme reopened, and we encourage young women who meet the criteria to apply. More than just a programme, it represents a concrete step toward creating conditions in which women can not only participate, but lead.

Sustainable leadership does not happen by chance. It happens when women are supported to claim it, with confidence, skills, networks, and opportunities to shape institutions and societies. In a time marked by increasing gender backlash and shrinking civic space, this work is urgent and meaningful.

Investing in women is not just a matter of fairness. It is the foundation for more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous societies. Justice cannot remain a formal guarantee- it must be economically accessible, institutionally supported, and practically attainable.

The path forward is clear: not only more women in leadership, but systems that enable leadership to thrive. Not only equality on paper, but equality in practice.