Governments across the OECD perform a wide range of functions, all of which depend on a dedicated and skilled public sector workforce. Governments decide which services should be delivered directly through public organisations and which through various forms of partnerships with the private or not-for-profit sectors. The roles and functions of the public sector relative to other sectors therefore vary across OECD countries, affecting the relative size of public employment. For example, in some countries, the large majority of health care providers, teachers and emergency workers are directly employed by the government. In others, these workers are mainly employed by private or non-profit organisations.

The OECD Recommendations on Public Service Leadership and Capability and on Gender Equality in Public Life underscore the need to build diverse workforces and ensure equal opportunities for under-represented groups. Equal representation of women and men in the public sector is a key indicator of progress towards diversity and gender equality, and is needed if public policies and services are to adequately reflect the interests of all members of the society.

Ensuring the participation and representation of all groups of society in public decision making allows for different perspectives to be included, helping ensure that public policies and services reflect the distinct needs and realities of women and men of diverse backgrounds (OECD, 2020). Achieving gender equality in politics is not just about counting the numbers of women in parliament and ministerial positions, but also making sure that women, in diverse situations and conditions, have the opportunity to influence policies in a positive way (OECD, forthcoming). However, although gender-balanced representation is not just a matter of numbers, collecting and publishing gender-disaggregated data is a crucial step towards recognizing gender imbalances and disparities, and creating policies that actively foster inclusivity.

Ensuring diversity and gender equality in judicial positions, including at senior levels, can reduce the barriers women faced in accessing justice, and increase their willingness to approach the legal system. Improving the representativeness and diversity of the judiciary can also support its quality, independence, impartiality and integrity (OECD, 2022). Overall, ensuring a gender-balanced judicial leadership remains a key governance issue in OECD countries as it relates to fairness, transparency, and the effectiveness of the rule of law (OECD,2019).

The representation of young people in politics is key to strengthen their democratic engagement and encourage whole-of-society buy-in to tackle common challenges. To deliver youth-responsive policies, governments need to reinforce their technical and administrative capacities as well as ensure that young people are represented in politics to better inform decisions and deliver fairer outcomes (OECD, 2022). Large gaps in youth representation in politics continue to exist and addressing them is essential, as they may have a lifelong impact on trust in government and engagement in democracy (OECD, 2020).