Women's leadership in the social economy: A critical analysis of structural barriers and their impact on empowerment
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Abstract
The persistence of gender inequalities in leadership positions remains a structural challenge within social economy organizations, where women face limitations that affect their professional development and empowerment. This study aimed to identify the structural barriers that restrict women's ability to exercise their managerial skills in leadership and to analyze how these barriers impact their individual and collective empowerment. To this end, a systematic review article was developed based on the PRISMA method, which allowed for the examination of recent scientific evidence indexed in Scopus, focused on the intersection of gender, leadership, and the social economy. The results show that the main barriers originate in patriarchal cultural structures, institutional gaps, and inequalities in access to resources, while women's empowerment is strengthened in contexts where inclusive policies, cooperative networks, and social recognition of leadership exist. The research concludes that overcoming these limitations requires not only organizational reforms but also a sustained cultural shift that promotes substantive equality and the redistribution of power within social economy organizations. This study contributes to the academic debate on leadership and gender equity, providing a foundation for future research and inclusion policies
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