The glass ceiling of Australian business is just as tough to crack as it was a decade ago.
Currently, 22 per cent of senior leadership roles are occupied by women, a figure that has not changed since 2004, according to a report by accounting group Grant Thornton.
That puts Australia on par with the international average but behind much of Eastern and Western Europe, Africa and emerging Asia Pacific countries.
Eastern Europe, in fact, is the best place to be a businesswoman, especially Russia where 40 per cent of senior roles are occupied by women.
"Clearly, there is no magic wand, but Australia can learn a lot from Eastern Europe," Grant Thornton head of diversity Nicole Bradley said.
Interestingly, the report shows that many developing nations fare better in terms of gender diversity than developed ones, with the Asia Pacific a prime example.
Just 13 per cent of senior roles are occupied by women in developed economies in the region, though the average is weighed down by Japan where the figure is only eight per cent, while 53 per cent of businesses have no women in senior roles at all.
By contrast, women occupy 23 per cent of the senior roles in developing nations in the region, where the number of businesses with no women in senior roles falls to 29 per cent.
The report calls on governments to make paid paternity leave more widely available, so men are more able to care for children, and consider introducing gender quotas for company boards.
It also calls on businesses to make a greater commitment to employing women in senior roles and suggests women make sure they put their hands up for promotions.
BEST PLACES TO BE A BUSINESSWOMAN
1) Russia: 40 per cent of senior roles
2) Georgia: 28 per cent
3) Poland 37 per cent
4) Latvia 36 per cent
5) Estonia 35 per cent
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