London: British lawmakers say the country's intelligence agencies, which inspired James Bond, are not doing enough to promote real-life Jane Bonds.
A report on women in the intelligence services says female staff are being held back by a layer of middle managers, dubbed "the permafrost," who have "a very traditional male mentality and outlook."
The report published Thursday by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee said that women make up 37 percent of the workforce at domestic spy service MI5, overseas intelligence agency MI6 and electronic eavesdropping center GCHQ. But women account for only 19 percent of senior staff.
The report said the agencies should do more to recruit and promote female staff, including targeting women with children through the popular online forum Mumsnet.
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