The Luxembourg Gender Finance Task Force

Women now hold 19% of top leadership roles across major financial institutions - the highest level ever recorded. Yet at the current pace of change, full gender parity is still an estimated 22 years away. OMFIF's 2026 Gender Balance Index examines why progress remains uneven, and what targeted policy action can do to close the gap.

Women now represent roughly one third of senior leadership roles among organisations participating in Luxembourg’s Women in Finance (WiF) Charter, according to the 2025 WiF Charter Progress Report. The report highlights gradual progress across the sector, while noting that gender balance at the most senior levels remains a challenge.

Despite decades of progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions across politics and business, and global gender inequalities persist. An article in the Financial Times highlights how slow progress has been in closing gaps in representation and pay, even as awareness and policy initiatives have expanded.

The number of young female entrepreneurs launching start-ups across Europe is rising, yet companies led by women continue to raise significantly less venture capital than those led by men, according to a study by Invest Europe and the European Investment Fund (EIF).

Gender equality and human rights considerations are increasingly moving to the forefront of responsible investment strategies, as investors seek to align financial performance with broader social impact. An article by LuxFLAG highlights how integrating gender and human rights lenses into finance can strengthen both investment outcomes and social resilience.

The Gender Equality Index 2025 shows the EU making steady but uneven progress, with gains in women’s decision-making roles offset by persistent inequalities in education, work quality and financial security. Luxembourg performs slightly above the EU average, reflecting stronger female participation and leadership, though challenges remain.