<![CDATA[Achieving gender equality in executive leadership remains a pressing imperative for organizational sustainability and economic growth in developing countries. Despite progressive policy reforms, women in emerging economies continue to encounter severe structural, institutional, and socio-cultural barriers that restrict their ascension to senior management. This critical review synthesizes peer-reviewed empirical and theoretical literature published between 2021 and 2026 across Asia-Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, MENA, and Latin America. Adhering to the PRISMA 2020 framework, 16 benchmark studies were evaluated to interrogate the role of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) in dismantling glass ceiling constraints. The findings demonstrate that traditional, informal HR systems reinforce unconscious bias, opaque promotion criteria, and double-burden conflicts. Conversely, modern gender-responsive HR frameworks—integrating merit-based talent management, formal executive sponsorship, work-family flexibility, and mandatory pay equity audits—substantially elevate female leadership self-efficacy and career retention. The study presents a multi-level conceptual model connecting macro-institutional enablers, meso-HR practices, and micro-behavioral outcomes, offering actionable strategic guidance for HR practitioners, corporate boards, and policymakers in developing nations.]]>
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