Glass Ceiling

In 1949, the first American woman was appointed ambassador. More than 2,450 people have filled the top diplomatic posts of ambassador or minister, deputy chief of mission or charge d'affaires since 1933. Only 198 of them, or 8 percent, were women.

While women have gained more diplomatic ground in recent years, a close look at the record shows they're not serving in high offices multiple times. The frequency with which a Foreign Service officer rotates among senior positions is a measure of clout, regardless of gender.

Only two women have been appointed ambassador four times, says Ann Wright, a former Foreign Service officer, who conducted an extensive study of women's history in the diplomatic corps using State Department records. Five women have held ambassadorships three times. And four women have served twice in addition to receiving long-term charge d'affaires posts. Women also are underrepresented in top posts in the career Foreign Service-which doesn't include political appointees. Of the 99 ambassadors from the career ranks serving as of 2004, 23 were women, according to a study by the American Foreign Service Association.

The countries to which those 23 women were posted almost all are regarded among diplomats as relatively unimportant to U.S. foreign policy. They include such nations as Albania, Angola, Djibouti, Moldova and Namibia. Yet women also serve in some of the most dangerous posts in the world, including Cote d'Ivoire, Pakistan and Syria.

**Includes ambassador, minister, deputy chief of mission, charge d'affaires and senior State Department positions.

Source: Ann Wright; American Foreign Service Association; State Department; State magazine