Barriers and enablers to leadership advancement for women with disabilities: a systematic literature review

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Background Women with disabilities are underrepresented in leadership roles despite global commitments to diversity. This systematic literature review examines the barriers and enablers impacting their advancement in these positions, addressing a critical gap at the intersection of gender, disability, and leadership research. Methods In accordance with the PRISMA 2020 reporting standards, a structured search was conducted in Scopus, supplemented by Web of Science and Google Scholar to enhance interdisciplinary coverage , identifying peer-reviewed studies published between 2021 and 2025. The timeframe was selected to capture post-pandemic shifts in organisational practices and inclusion discourse. After screening and eligibility assessment, 20 studies were included in the thematic synthesis. Results The findings indicate that barriers to leadership advancement are largely systemic, including inaccessible governance structures, ableist organisational cultures, credibility discounting, restricted autonomy, and gendered care burdens. These patterns suggest that leadership exclusion is shaped by multi-level structural and relational constraints rather than individual capability alone. These barriers are further influenced by intersectional factors such as race and socioeconomic status. In contrast, enabling conditions include inclusive leadership practices, openness to feedback, rights-based governance, supported decision-making, and capacity-building through mentoring and development. Conclusion The review conceptualises leadership advancement as a multi-level process shaped by structural, organisational, interpersonal, and identity-related dynamics. Evidence across studies suggests that leadership trajectories may be cumulative, with early constraints influencing later access to leadership opportunities. By mapping existing evidence and highlighting critical gaps, this review underscores the need for leadership frameworks and policies that recognise women with disabilities as legitimate leaders. These conclusions should be interpreted in light of the relatively small and heterogeneous evidence base. Advancing inclusive leadership ecosystems remains essential for reducing entrenched inequities and fostering more representative systems of governance.

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