in fact inequalities increase the higher up the pay scale they go the result is that while in oecd countries women earn on average less than men female topearners are paid less than their male counterparts the socalled glass ceiling exists women are disadvantaged when it comes to decisionmaking responsibilities and senior management positions by the time they get to the boardroom there is only one of them for every men the norwegian experience shows that quotas can be effective in improving the gender balance at board level