I am all for increasing the number of females on this side of the flight deck door, and making it a career that women actually consider is important.
Getting that message to them while they're young and keen and letting them know it's a career that is achievable and not "a mans job" is key to that.
Both EZY and BA have been publicising female pilots recently, and that's great, young girls can see the posters and hopefully it will inspire more of them.
Not sure I like the idea of positive discrimination in order to achieve higher numbers though.
I have heard of some instances of female trainees and applicants getting picked over better male applicants, for some kind of apparent publicity or quota reason.
Was told of one female BA FPP trainee who wasn't chopped during training despite numerous failed CPL and IR LSTs, (finally passed them at third series first attempt and second series second attempt respectively), when at least two male FPP trainees were given the chop as soon as they failed their second CPL attempt, (so half the number of failed LSTs as the girl). She's now on the 320 with BA, the two guys I imagine are somewhere like RYR trying to pay their money back to the bank or parents.