Mary van der Boon looks at why there are fewer women in top positions in business, government and universities in the Netherlands than in other European countries, and suggests how we can bring about change.

Countless surveys and studies have come to the same conclusion: gender diversity in the Netherlands, particularly the streaming of women to top positions in business, government and universities, lags sorely behind other European countries.

Most parties on both sides of the Great Gender Debate would agree on the facts. The story gets murky when you ask why this occurs and what can be done about it.

There are a few popularly-held myths and beliefs around women and leadership in the Netherlands, and it might be useful to look at some of these old chestnuts from a new angle: