Global Gender Gap Report

Cover of the 2008 report

The Global Gender Gap Report was first published in 2006 by the World Economic Forum. The 2017 report covers 144 major and emerging economies. The Global Gender Gap Index is an index designed to measure gender equality.^[1]

Methodology

The report's Gender Gap Index ranks countries according to calculated gender gap between women and men in four key areas: health, education, economy and politics to gauge the state of gender equality in a country. The report measures women's disadvantage compared to men, and is not strictly a measure of equality. Gender imbalances to the advantage of women do not affect the score.^[2] So, for example, the indicator "number of years of a female head of state (last 50 years) over male value" would score 1 if the number of years was 25, but would still score 1 if the number of years was 50. Due to this methodology, gender gaps that favor women over men are reported as equality and would not cause deficits of equality in other areas to become less visible in the score, excepted for life expectancy.

The three highest ranking countries have closed over 84% of their gender gaps, while the lowest ranking country has closed only a little over 50% of its gender gap. It "assesses countries on how well they are dividing their resources and opportunities among their male and female populations, regardless of the overall levels of these resources and opportunities," the Report says.^[3] "By providing a comprehensible framework for assessing and comparing global gender gaps and by revealing those countries that are role models in dividing these resources equitably between women and men, the Report serves as a catalyst for greater awareness as well as greater exchange between policymakers."^[3]

The report examines four overall areas of inequality between men and women in 130 economies around the globe, over 93% of the world's population:

• Economic participation and opportunity – outcomes on salaries, participation levels and access to high-skilled employment
• Educational attainment – outcomes on access to basic and higher level education
• Political empowerment – outcomes on representation in decision-making structures
• Health and survival – outcomes on life expectancy and sex ratio. In this case parity is not assumed, there are assumed to be fewer female births than male (944 female for every 1,000 males), and men are assumed to die younger. Provided that women live at least six percent longer than men, parity is assumed. But if it is less than six percent it counts as a gender gap.^[4]

Thirteen out of the fourteen variables used to create the index are from publicly available "hard data" indicators from international organizations, such as the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Development Programme and the World Health Organization.^[5]

WEF Global Gender Gap Index rankings

The highest possible score is 1 (equality or better for women, except for lifespan (106% or better for women) and gender parity at birth (94.4% or better for women^[6])) and the lowest possible score is 0. Data for some countries are unavailable.^[7][8][9]

The WEF Gender gap index world map for 2017^[10]

Country	Region	Year[note 1]
		2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015[11]	2016[10]	2017
Albania	Europe	0.6607	0.6685	0.6591	0.6601	0.6726	0.6748	0.6655	0.6412	0.6869	0.701	0.704	0.728
Algeria	Africa	0.6018	0.6068	0.6111	0.6119	0.6052	0.5991	0.6112	0.5966	0.6182	0.632	0.642	0.629
Angola	Africa	0.6039	0.6034	0.6032	0.6353	0.6712	0.6624	N/A	0.6659	0.6311	0.637	0.643	0.640
Argentina	South America	0.6829	0.6982	0.7209	0.7211	0.7187	0.7236	0.7212	0.7195	0.7317	0.734	0.735	0.732
Armenia	Europe and Central Asia	N/A	0.6651	0.6677	0.6619	0.6669	0.6654	0.6636	0.6634	0.6622	0.668	0.669	0.677
Australia	Oceania	0.7163	0.7204	0.7241	0.7282	0.7271	0.7291	0.7294	0.7390	0.7409	0.733	0.721	0.731
Austria	Europe	0.6986	0.7060	0.7153	0.7031	0.7091	0.7165	0.7391	0.7437	0.7266	0.733	0.716	0.709
Azerbaijan	Europe and Central Asia	N/A	0.6781	0.6856	0.6626	0.6446	0.6577	0.6546	0.6582	0.6753	0.675	0.684	0.676
Bahamas	North America	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.7179	0.7128	0.7340	0.7156	0.7128	0.7269	0.728	0.729	0.743
Bahrain	Middle East	0.5894	0.5931	0.5927	0.6136	0.6217	0.6232	0.6298	0.6334	0.6261	0.644	0.615	0.632
Bangladesh	South Asia	0.6270	0.6314	0.6531	0.6526	0.6702	0.6812	0.6684	0.6848	0.6973	0.704	0.698	0.719
Barbados	North America	N/A	N/A	0.7188	0.7236	0.7176	0.7170	0.7232	0.7301	0.7289	0.744	0.739	0.750
Belarus	Europe	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.734	0.737	0.744
Belgium	Europe	0.7078	0.7198	0.7163	0.7165	0.7509	0.7531	0.7652	0.7684	0.7809	0.753	0.745	0.739
Belize	North America	N/A	0.6426	0.6610	0.6636	0.6536	0.6489	0.6465	0.6449	0.6701	0.668	0.676	0.692
Benin	Africa	0.5780	0.5656	0.5582	0.5643	0.5719	0.5832	0.6258	0.5885	N/A	0.625	0.636	0.652
Bhutan	South Asia	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.6651	0.6364	0.646	0.642	0.638
Bolivia	South America	0.6335	0.6574	0.6667	0.6693	0.6751	0.6862	0.7222	0.7340	0.7049	0.749	0.746	0.758
Botswana	Africa	0.6897	0.6797	0.6839	0.7071	0.6876	0.6832	0.6744	0.6752	0.7129	0.710	0.715	0.720
Brazil	South America	0.6543	0.6637	0.6737	0.6695	0.6655	0.6679	0.6909	0.6949	0.6941	0.686	0.687	0.684
Brunei Darussalam	Southeast Asia	N/A	N/A	0.6392	0.6524	0.6748	0.6787	0.6750	0.6730	0.6719	0.684	0.669	0.671
Bulgaria	Europe	0.6870	0.7085	0.7077	0.7072	0.6983	0.6987	0.7021	0.7097	0.7444	0.722	0.726	0.756
Burkina Faso	Africa	0.5854	0.5912	0.6029	0.6081	0.6162	0.6153	0.6455	0.6513	0.6500	0.651	0.64	0.646
Burundi	Africa	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.7270	0.7338	0.7397	0.7565	0.748	0.768	0.755
Cambodia	Southeast Asia	0.6291	0.6353	0.6469	0.6410	0.6482	0.6464	0.6457	0.6509	0.6520	0.662	0.658	0.676
Cameroon	Africa	0.5865	0.5919	0.6017	0.6108	0.6110	0.6073	0.6291	0.6560	N/A	0.682	0.684	0.689
Canada	North America	0.7165	0.7198	0.7136	0.7196	0.7372	0.7407	0.7381	0.7425	0.7464	0.740	0.731	0.769
Cape Verde	Africa	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.7180	0.7122	0.7133	0.717	0.729	0.686
Chad	Africa	0.5247	0.5381	0.5290	0.5417	0.5330	0.5334	0.5594	0.5588	0.5764	0.580	0.587	0.575
Chile	South America	0.6455	0.6482	0.6818	0.6884	0.7013	0.7030	0.6676	0.6670	0.6975	0.698	0.699	0.704
China	East Asia	0.6561	0.6643	0.6878	0.6907	0.6881	0.6866	0.6853	0.6908	0.6830	0.682	0.676	0.674
Colombia	South America	0.7049	0.7090	0.6944	0.6939	0.6927	0.6714	0.6901	0.7171	0.7122	0.725	0.727	0.731
Costa Rica	North America	0.6936	0.7014	0.7111	0.7180	0.7194	0.7266	0.7225	0.7241	0.7165	0.732	0.736	0.727
Côte d'Ivoire	Africa	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.5691	0.5773	0.5785	0.5814	0.5874	0.606	0.597	0.611
Croatia	Europe	0.7145	0.7210	0.6967	0.6944	0.6939	0.7006	0.7053	0.7069	0.7075	0.708	0.7	0.711
Cuba	North America	N/A	0.7169	0.7195	0.7176	0.7253	0.7394	0.7417	0.7540	0.7317	0.740	0.74	0.745
Cyprus	Europe and Middle East	0.6430	0.6522	0.6694	0.6706	0.6642	0.6567	0.6732	0.6801	0.6741	0.671	0.684	0.684
Czech Republic	Europe	0.6712	0.6718	0.6770	0.6789	0.6850	0.6789	0.6767	0.6770	0.6737	0.687	0.69	0.688
Denmark	Europe	0.7462	0.7519	0.7538	0.7628	0.7719	0.7778	0.7777	0.7779	0.8025	0.767	0.754	0.776
Dominican Republic	North America	0.6639	0.6705	0.6744	0.6859	0.6774	0.6682	0.6659	0.6867	0.6906	0.686	0.676	0.697
Ecuador	South America	0.6433	0.6881	0.7091	0.7220	0.7072	0.7035	0.7206	0.7389	0.7455	0.738	0.726	0.724
Egypt	Middle East and Africa	0.5786	0.5809	0.5832	0.5862	0.5899	0.5933	0.5975	0.5935	0.6064	0.599	0.614	0.608
El Salvador	North America	0.6837	0.6853	0.6875	0.6939	0.6596	0.6567	0.6630	0.6609	0.6863	0.706	0.702	0.705
Estonia	Europe	0.6944	0.7008	0.7076	0.7094	0.7018	0.6983	0.6977	0.6997	0.7017	0.749	0.747	0.731
Ethiopia	Africa	0.5946	0.5991	0.5867	0.5948	0.6019	0.6136	0.6200	0.6198	0.6144	0.640	0.662	0.656
Fiji	Oceania	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.6414	0.6256	0.6255	0.6285	0.6286	0.6286	0.645	N/A	N/A
Finland	Europe	0.7958	0.8044	0.8195	0.8252	0.8260	0.8383	0.8451	0.8421	0.8453	0.850	0.845	0.823
France	Europe	0.6520	0.6824	0.7341	0.7331	0.7025	0.7018	0.6984	0.7089	0.7588	0.761	0.755	0.778
Gambia, The	Africa	0.6448	0.6421	0.6622	0.6752	0.6762	0.6763	0.6630	N/A	N/A	0.674	0.667	0.649
Georgia	Europe and Central Asia	0.6700	0.6665	0.6654	0.6680	0.6598	0.6624	0.6691	0.6750	0.6855	0.687	0.681	0.679
Germany	Europe	0.7524	0.7618	0.7394	0.7449	0.7530	0.7590	0.7629	0.7583	0.7780	0.779	0.766	0.778
Ghana	Africa	0.6653	0.6725	0.6679	0.6704	0.6782	0.6811	0.6778	0.6811	0.6661	0.704	0.705	0.695
Greece	Europe	0.6540	0.6648	0.6727	0.6662	0.6908	0.6916	0.6716	0.6782	0.6784	0.685	0.68	0.692
Guatemala	North America	0.6067	0.6144	0.6072	0.6209	0.6238	0.6229	0.6260	0.6304	0.6821	0.667	0.666	0.667
Guinea	Africa	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.618	0.64	0.659
Guyana	South America	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.7108	0.7090	0.7084	0.7119	0.7085	0.7010	0.702	N/A	N/A
Honduras	North America	0.6483	0.6661	0.6960	0.6893	0.6927	0.6945	0.6763	0.6773	0.6935	0.688	0.69	0.711
Hungary	Europe	0.6698	0.6731	0.6867	0.6879	0.6720	0.6642	0.6718	0.6742	0.6759	0.672	0.669	0.670
Iceland	Europe	0.7813	0.7836	0.7999	0.8276	0.8496	0.8530	0.8640	0.8731	0.8594	0.881	0.874	0.878
India	South Asia	0.6011	0.5936	0.6060	0.6151	0.6155	0.6190	0.6442	0.6551	0.6455	0.664	0.683	0.669
Indonesia	Southeast Asia	0.6541	0.6550	0.6473	0.6580	0.6615	0.6594	0.6591	0.6613	0.6725	0.681	0.682	0.691
Iran, Islamic Rep.	Middle East	0.5803	0.5903	0.6021	0.5839	0.5933	0.5894	0.5927	0.5842	0.5811	0.580	0.587	0.583
Ireland	Europe	0.7335	0.7457	0.7518	0.7597	0.7773	0.7830	0.7839	0.7823	0.7850	0.807	0.797	0.794
Israel	Middle East	0.6889	0.6965	0.6900	0.7019	0.6957	0.6926	0.6989	0.7032	0.7005	0.712	0.719	0.721
Italy	Europe	0.6456	0.6498	0.6788	0.6798	0.6765	0.6796	0.6729	0.6885	0.6973	0.726	0.719	0.692
Jamaica	North America	0.7014	0.6925	0.6980	0.7013	0.7037	0.7028	0.7035	0.7085	0.7128	0.703	0.724	0.717
Japan	East Asia	0.6447	0.6455	0.6434	0.6447	0.6524	0.6514	0.6530	0.6498	0.6584	0.670	0.66	0.657
Jordan	Middle East	0.6109	0.6203	0.6275	0.6182	0.6048	0.6117	0.6103	0.6093	0.5968	0.593	0.603	0.604
Kazakhstan	Central Asia	0.6928	0.6983	0.6976	0.7013	0.7055	0.7010	0.7213	0.7218	0.7210	0.719	0.718	0.713
Kenya	Africa	0.6486	0.6508	0.6547	0.6512	0.6499	0.6493	0.6768	0.6803	0.7258	0.719	0.702	0.694
Korea, Rep.	East Asia	0.6157	0.6409	0.6154	0.6146	0.6342	0.6281	0.6356	0.6351	0.6403	0.651	0.649	0.650
Kuwait	Middle East	0.6341	0.6409	0.6358	0.6356	0.6318	0.6322	0.6320	0.6292	0.6457	0.646	0.624	0.679
Kyrgyz Republic	Central Asia	0.6742	0.6653	0.7045	0.7058	0.6973	0.7036	0.7013	0.6948	0.6974	0.693	0.687	0.691
Laos	Southeast Asia	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.6993	0.7044	0.713	N/A	0.703
Latvia	Europe	0.7091	0.7333	0.7397	0.7416	0.7429	0.7399	0.7572	0.7610	0.7691	0.752	0.755	0.756
Lebanon	Middle East	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.6084	0.6083	0.6030	0.6028	0.5923	0.598	0.598	0.596
Lesotho	Africa	0.6807	0.7078	0.7320	0.7495	0.7678	0.7666	0.7608	0.7530	0.7255	0.706	0.706	0.695
Liberia	Africa	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.652	0.652	0.669
Lithuania	Europe	0.7077	0.7234	0.7222	0.7175	0.7132	0.7131	0.7191	0.7308	0.7208	0.740	0.744	0.742
Luxembourg	Europe	0.6671	0.6786	0.6802	0.6889	0.7231	0.7216	0.7439	0.7410	0.7333	0.738	0.734	0.706
Macedonia	Europe	0.6983	0.6967	0.6914	0.6950	0.6996	0.6966	0.6968	0.7013	0.6943	0.701	0.696	0.702
Madagascar	Africa	0.6385	0.6461	0.6736	0.6732	0.6713	0.6797	0.6982	0.7016	0.7214	0.698	0.704	0.692
Malawi	Africa	0.6437	0.6480	0.6664	0.6738	0.6824	0.6850	0.7166	0.7139	0.7281	0.701	0.7	0.672
Malaysia	Southeast Asia	0.6509	0.6444	0.6442	0.6467	0.6479	0.6525	0.6539	0.6518	0.6520	0.655	0.666	0.670
Maldives	South Asia	N/A	0.6350	0.6501	0.6482	0.6452	0.6480	0.6616	0.6604	0.6557	0.652	.65	0.669
Mali	Africa	0.5996	0.6019	0.6117	0.5860	0.5680	0.5752	0.5842	0.5872	0.5779	0.599	0.591	0.583
Malta	Europe	0.6518	0.6615	0.6634	0.6635	0.6695	0.6658	0.6666	0.6761	0.6707	0.668	0.664	0.682
Mauritania	Africa	0.5835	0.6022	0.6117	0.6103	0.6152	0.6164	0.6129	0.5810	0.6029	0.613	0.624	0.614
Mauritius	Africa	0.6328	0.6487	0.6466	0.6513	0.6520	0.6529	0.6547	0.6599	0.6541	0.646	0.652	0.664
Mexico	North America	0.6462	0.6441	0.6441	0.6503	0.6577	0.6604	0.6712	0.6917	0.6900	0.699	0.7	0.692
Moldova	Europe	0.7128	0.7172	0.7244	0.7104	0.7160	0.7083	0.7101	0.7037	0.7405	0.742	0.741	0.740
Mongolia	East Asia	0.6821	0.6731	0.7049	0.7221	0.7194	0.7140	0.7111	0.7204	0.7212	0.709	0.705	0.713
Montenegro	Europe	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.689	0.681	0.693
Morocco	Africa	0.5827	0.5676	0.5757	0.5926	0.5767	0.5804	0.5833	0.5845	0.5988	0.593	0.597	0.598
Mozambique	Africa	N/A	0.6883	0.7266	0.7195	0.7329	0.7251	0.7350	0.7349	0.7370	0.741	0.75	0.741
Myanmar	Southeast Asia	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.691
Namibia	Africa	0.6864	0.7012	0.7141	0.7167	0.7238	0.7177	0.7121	0.7094	0.7219	0.760	0.765	0.777
Nepal	South Asia	0.5478	0.5575	0.5942	0.6213	0.6084	0.5888	0.6026	0.6053	0.6458	0.658	0.661	0.664
Netherlands	Europe	0.7250	0.7383	0.7399	0.7490	0.7444	0.7470	0.7659	0.7608	0.7730	0.776	0.756	0.737
New Zealand	Oceania	0.7509	0.7649	0.7859	0.7880	0.7808	0.7810	0.7805	0.7799	0.7772	0.782	0.781	0.791
Nicaragua	North America	0.6566	0.6458	0.6747	0.7002	0.7176	0.7245	0.7697	0.7715	0.7894	0.776	0.78	0.814
Nigeria	Africa	0.6104	0.6122	0.6339	0.6280	0.6055	0.6011	0.6315	0.6469	0.6391	0.638	0.643	0.641
Norway	Europe	0.7994	0.8059	0.8239	0.8227	0.8404	0.8404	0.8403	0.8417	0.8374	0.850	0.842	0.830
Oman	Middle East	N/A	0.5903	0.5960	0.5938	0.5950	0.5873	0.5986	0.6053	0.6091	0.604	0.612	N/A
Pakistan	South Asia	0.5434	0.5509	0.5549	0.5458	0.5465	0.5583	0.5478	0.5459	0.5522	0.559	0.556	0.546
Panama	North America	0.6935	0.6954	0.7095	0.7024	0.7072	0.7042	0.7122	0.7164	0.7195	0.772	0.721	0.722
Paraguay	South America	0.6556	0.6659	0.6379	0.6868	0.6804	0.6818	0.6714	0.6724	0.6890	0.666	0.676	0.678
Peru	South America	0.6619	0.6624	0.6959	0.7024	0.6895	0.6796	0.6742	0.6787	0.7198	0.683	0.687	0.719
Philippines	Southeast Asia	0.7516	0.7629	0.7568	0.7579	0.7654	0.7685	0.7757	0.7832	0.7814	0.790	0.786	0.790
Poland	Europe	0.6802	0.6756	0.6951	0.6998	0.7037	0.7038	0.7015	0.7031	0.7051	0.715	0.727	0.728
Portugal	Europe	0.6922	0.6959	0.7051	0.7013	0.7171	0.7144	0.7071	0.7056	0.7243	0.731	0.737	0.734
Qatar	Middle East	N/A	0.6041	0.5948	0.5907	0.6059	0.6230	0.6264	0.6299	0.6403	0.645	0.643	0.626
Romania	Europe	0.6797	0.6859	0.6763	0.6805	0.6826	0.6812	0.6859	0.6908	0.6936	0.693	0.69	0.708
Russian Federation	Europe and Northern Asia	0.6770	0.6866	0.6994	0.6987	0.7036	0.7037	0.6980	0.6983	0.6927	0.694	0.691	0.696
Rwanda	Africa	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.794	0.8	0.822
Saudi Arabia	Middle East	0.5242	0.5647	0.5537	0.5651	0.5713	0.5753	0.5731	0.5879	0.6059	0.605	0.583	0.584
Senegal	Africa	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.6427	0.6414	0.6573	0.6657	0.6923	0.6912	0.698	0.685	0.684
Serbia	Europe	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.7037	0.7116	0.7086	0.720	0.72	0.727
Singapore	Southeast Asia	0.6550	0.6609	0.6625	0.6664	0.6914	0.6914	0.6989	0.7000	0.7046	0.711	0.712	0.702
Slovakia	Europe	0.6757	0.6797	0.6824	0.6845	0.6778	0.6797	0.6824	0.6857	0.6806	0.675	0.679	0.694
Slovenia	Europe	0.6745	0.6842	0.6937	0.6982	0.7047	0.7041	0.7132	0.7155	0.7443	0.784	0.786	0.805
South Africa	Africa	0.7125	0.7194	0.7232	0.7709	0.7535	0.7478	0.7496	0.7510	0.7527	0.759	0.764	0.756
Spain	Europe	0.7319	0.7444	0.7281	0.7345	0.7554	0.7580	0.7266	0.7266	0.7325	0.742	0.738	0.746
Sri Lanka	South Asia	0.7199	0.7230	0.7371	0.7402	0.7458	0.7212	0.7122	0.7019	0.6903	0.686	0.673	0.669
Suriname	South America	N/A	0.6794	0.6674	0.6726	0.6407	0.6395	0.6409	0.6369	0.6504	0.670	0.679	0.689
Swaziland	Africa	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.670	0.665	0.670
Sweden	Europe	0.8133	0.8146	0.8139	0.8139	0.8024	0.8044	0.8159	0.8129	0.8165	0.823	0.815	0.816
Switzerland	Europe	0.6997	0.6924	0.7360	0.7426	0.7562	0.7627	0.7672	0.7736	0.7798	0.785	0.776	0.755
Syria	Middle East	N/A	0.6216	0.6181	0.6072	0.5926	0.5896	0.5626	0.5661	0.5775	0.568	0.567	0.568
Tajikistan	Central Asia	N/A	0.6578	0.6541	0.6661	0.6598	0.6526	0.6608	0.6682	0.6654	0.675	0.679	0.678
Tanzania	Africa	0.7038	0.6969	0.7068	0.6797	0.6829	0.6904	0.7091	0.6928	0.7182	0.718	0.716	0.700
Thailand	Southeast Asia	0.6831	0.6815	0.6917	0.6907	0.6910	0.6892	0.6893	0.6928	0.7027	0.706	0.699	0.694
Timor-Leste	Southeast Asia	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.6855	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.637	0.628
Trinidad and Tobago	North America	0.6797	0.6859	0.7245	0.7298	0.7353	0.7372	0.7116	0.7166	0.7154	0.720	0.723	N/A
Tunisia	Africa	0.6288	0.6283	0.6295	0.6233	0.6266	0.6255	N/A	N/A	0.6272	0.634	0.636	0.651
Turkey	Middle East and Europe	0.5850	0.5768	0.5853	0.5828	0.5876	0.5954	0.6015	0.6081	0.6183	0.624	0.623	0.625
Uganda	Africa	0.6797	0.6833	0.6981	0.7067	0.7169	0.7220	0.7228	0.7086	0.6821	0.708	0.704	0.721
Ukraine	Europe	0.6797	0.6790	0.6856	0.6896	0.6869	0.6861	0.6894	0.6935	0.7056	0.702	0.7	0.705
United Arab Emirates	Middle East	0.5919	0.6184	0.6220	0.6198	0.6397	0.6454	0.6392	0.6372	0.6436	0.646	0.639	0.649
United Kingdom	Europe	0.7365	0.7441	0.7366	0.7402	0.7460	0.7462	0.7433	0.7440	0.7383	0.758	0.752	0.770
United States	North America	0.7042	0.7002	0.7179	0.7173	0.7411	0.7412	0.7373	0.7392	0.7463	0.740	0.722	0.718
Uruguay	South America	0.6549	0.6608	0.6907	0.6936	0.6897	0.6907	0.6745	0.6803	0.6871	0.679	0.681	0.710
Venezuela	South America	0.6664	0.6797	0.6875	0.6839	0.6863	0.6861	0.7060	0.7060	0.6851	0.691	0.694	0.706
Vietnam	Southeast Asia	N/A	0.6889	0.6778	0.6802	0.6776	0.6732	0.6867	0.6863	0.6915	0.687	0.7	0.698
Yemen	Middle East	0.4595	0.4510	0.4664	0.4609	0.4603	0.4873	0.5054	0.5128	0.5145	0.484	0.516	0.516
Zambia	Africa	0.6360	0.6288	0.6205	0.6310	0.6293	0.6300	0.6279	0.6312	0.6364	0.650	N/A	N/A
Zimbabwe	Africa	0.6461	0.6464	0.6485	0.6518	0.6574	0.6607	N/A	N/A	0.7013	0.709	0.71	0.717

Controversies

There are controversies around credibility of the index,^[12][13] stemmed mostly from misunderstandings. On 2014, for example, one of the most famous television news programs in South Korea described the reason why South Korea had such a low rank.^[14] According to the news, some of the raw data used to calculate the index do not reflect the country's unique situation accurately, and that partially accounts for their rank. This conclusion is, while not entirely wrong, somewhat misleading. Since the final index is calculated by weighted averages of fourteen ratios, tweaking one or two ratios to be a little bit higher does not affect the result much.^[15]

The index is designed to "measure gender-based gaps in access to resources and opportunities in countries rather than the actual levels of the available resources and opportunities in those countries."^[10] It is not necessarily true that highly developed countries should have higher scores.

See also

• Gender Empowerment Measure
• Gender Inequality Index
• Gender-Related Development Index
• Social Institutions and Gender Index
• Female labour force in the Muslim world
• Gender pay gap
• Women's rights in 2014
• Gender Gap in Stem Careers Infographic

Notes

References

External links

• "Women Leaders and Gender Parity". World Economic Forum. Geneva, Switzerland. Archived from the original on 2008-11-13. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
• Daily chart: Sex and equality, The Economist, Oct 25th 2013