Report Finds Gains for Women in Past Decade
October 28, 2014
A new report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) has revealed that women around the world have made some progress in narrowing the gender gap, particularly in access to government and the workplace, over the past 10 years. Broadly speaking, the gender gap refers to the amount of inequality between women and men in a wide range of areas. The new report, the ninth from the WEF, found that 105 of the 142 countries surveyed have become more equal since 2005. Six countries have become less equal: Croatia, Jordan, Macedonia, Mali, Sri Lanka, and Tunisia.
The WEF report measures the size of the gender inequality in:
- Economic participation and opportunity (salaries, participation, and leadership);
- Education (access to basic and higher levels of education);
- Political empowerment (representation in decision-making structures);
- Health and survival (life expectancy and ratio of sexes).
Although no country has closed its gender gap, Iceland ranked first in overall gender equality. It was followed by Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Nicaragua, Rwanda, Ireland, Philippines, and Belgium. The United States placed 20th, with Canada placing 19th; New Zealand, 13th, and Australia, 24th.
According to the report, the gender gap is narrowest in health and survival, at 96 percent. Thirty-five countries have closed the gap in this category entirely, compared with 33 countries in 2013. The United States ranked 62nd; Australia, 70th; New Zealand, 96th; and Canada, 100th.
The education gap is the second narrowest, at 94 percent. Twenty-five countries have achieved gender equality in education, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The United States ranked 39th.
Canada has eliminated the gender gap in education, according to a recent report by the World Economic Forum. The country also ranks high in economic participation and political empowerment. However, it ranks 100th among the 142 countries surveyed in health and survival. © Bryan and Cherry Alexander, Alamy Images
The economic gap narrowed to 60 percent in 2013, from 56 percent in 2006. At this rate, the report notes, the economic gap will not be eliminated for another 81 years. In this category, the United States ranked 4th; Australia, 14th; Canada, 17th; and New Zealand, 30th.
The gap in political empowerment remains the highest, at 21 percent. However, this category has also seen the greatest improvement since 2006. Saadia Zahidi, the author of the report, said there are now 26 percent more females in legislative bodies and 50 percent more females in cabinets and other ministries than there were in 2006. She attributed the increase mainly to quotas and targets. In the political category, New Zealand ranked 14th; Canada, 42nd; Australia, 53th; and the United States, 54th.
Additional World Book articles:
