The study looked at women working in senior posts

The survey, Sex and Power: Who Runs Scotland? 2007, was carried out by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).

It wants the right to request flexible working to be extended to all, as well as more well-paid, flexible and part-time work at higher levels.

EOC Scotland said there were women under-represented and "missing" from the top of their professions.

Women make up just under 12% of Scotland's senior judges and police officers and 19% of local authority council leaders, according to the study.

EOC Scotland calculates that women "missing" from the top jobs in Scotland include:

• 111 missing from public appointments
• 106 missing from secondary schools
• 21 missing MPs
• 16 missing senior police officers
• 14 missing MSPs
• 13 missing judges

EOC Scotland director of communications Alyson Thomson said the findings were "troubling".

"They suggest it's time not just to send out the head-hunters to find some of those 'missing women', but to address the barriers that stand in their way," she said.

"We all pay the price when our workplaces and public services are unrepresentative.

Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini is still bucking the trend

"Our democracy and local communities will be stronger if women from different backgrounds are able to enjoy an equal voice."

Ms Thomson called for change to make it possible for men and women to share power in the future, including extending the right to ask for flexible working to stop it meaning "career death" for women with caring responsibilities.

The EOC has calculated that at the current rate of progress, across Britain it would take 20 years to achieve equality in the civil service top management, 40 years to achieve an equal number of senior women in the judiciary and 60 years to achieve an equal number of female directors at FTSE 100 companies.