You are working with an NHRI at the early stages of its development. Job recruitment is underway, and you hear through the staff at the NHRI that all the senior staff candidates are men, and that all the administrative and junior staff are women.

When you probe a bit in conversation, the project officer tells you that few women applied for the senior jobs and that those who did were unqualified. Hiring, you are told, is proceeding on a merit basis. If women or minorities do not qualify there is nothing that can be done.