The World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2023 provides not only a global snapshot of gender parity but also delves into the nuanced regional dynamics shaping the progress towards equality.
The 17th edition of the Global Gender Gap Index, an annual benchmark of gender parity across 146 countries, offers a comprehensive analysis of the current state and trajectory of gender equality. The report, initiated in 2006, remains the longest-standing index tracking countries’ efforts to close gender gaps across Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment.
Global Overview and Time to Parity
In 2023, the global gender gap score for all 146 countries stands at 68.4% closed, reflecting a modest improvement of 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous year. For the constant sample of 145 countries covered in both the 2022 and 2023 editions, the overall score improved from 68.1% to 68.4%. However, when considering the 102 countries continuously covered from 2006 to 2023, the gap is 68.6% closed, showing a recovery to 2020 levels and a 4.1 percentage point advancement since the report’s inception. Despite progress, reaching full parity at the current rate would take 131 years, emphasizing the need for accelerated efforts.
Top Performers and Regional Insights
– No country has achieved full gender parity, but the top nine countries, including Iceland, Norway, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden, Germany, Nicaragua, Namibia, and Lithuania, have closed at least 80% of their gender gap.
– Iceland maintains its top position for the 14th consecutive year, closing an impressive 91.2% of its gender gap.
– The global top five includes Nordic countries (Norway, Finland, Sweden), New Zealand, and Germany, showcasing the continued strength of these regions in gender parity.
– Noteworthy performances include Germany moving up to 6th place, Lithuania returning to the top 10, and Belgium joining for the first time.
– Health and Survival gender gap closed by 96%, Educational Attainment by 95.2%, Economic Participation and Opportunity by 60.1%, and Political Empowerment by 22.1% for the 146 countries covered in 2023.
– The time to close the Political Empowerment gap is projected at 162 years, Economic Participation and Opportunity at 169 years, and Educational Attainment at 16 years.
Regional Perspectives from the Global Gender Gap Report 2023
Europe: Leading the Way
Gender parity in Europe surpasses other regions, with an impressive score of 76.3%. One-third of countries in the region rank in the top 20, exemplifying the progress made. While Iceland, Norway, and Finland lead the way, there’s a slight decline of 0.2 percentage points in the regional score. Europe is projected to achieve gender parity in 67 years at the current rate of progress.
North America: Steady Progress
North America, closing 75% of the gender gap, ranks second globally. However, there is a 1.9 percentage-point decline from the previous edition. While Canada shows a minor decline, the United States experiences a reduction of 2.1 percentage points. The region is on track to close the gender gap in 95 years.
Latin America and the Caribbean: Striving for Excellence
Making incremental progress since 2017, this region achieves 74.3% gender parity, marking a 1.7 percentage-point increase. With Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Jamaica leading, and Belize, Paraguay, and Guatemala facing challenges, the region aims to attain full gender parity in 53 years.
Eurasia and Central Asia: Stagnation and Aspiration
Ranging 4th among regions with 69% parity, Eurasia and Central Asia experience stagnation since the 2020 edition. Despite a 3.2 percentage point improvement since 2006, the region faces a considerable gap. Moldova, Belarus, and Armenia lead, while Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Türkiye lag behind. The journey to gender parity is estimated at 167 years.
East Asia and the Pacific: Struggling Progress
With a score of 68.8%, the region faces a 0.2 percentage-point decline, reflecting stagnation over a decade. New Zealand, the Philippines, and Australia exhibit the highest parity, while Fiji, Myanmar, and Japan encounter setbacks. The region is projected to achieve gender parity in 189 years.
Sub-Saharan Africa: Uneven Progress
Ranked 6th among regions, Sub-Saharan Africa attains a parity score of 68.2%, with Namibia, Rwanda, and South Africa leading the progress. Despite marginal improvement, countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, and Chad struggle, and the region requires 102 years to close the gender gap.
Southern Asia: A Gradual Climb
Southern Asia achieves 63.4% gender parity, marking a 1.1 percentage-point increase. Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka emerge as the best performers, while Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan face challenges. Full parity is expected in 149 years.
Middle East and North Africa: A Distant Horizon
Facing a 0.9 percentage-point decline, the region lags behind with a 62.6% parity score. The United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Bahrain lead, but Morocco, Oman, and Algeria struggle. The region is estimated to achieve full parity in 152 years.
Projections for Closing the Gender Gap Across Subindex Indicators
The 17-year journey reflects a global gain of 4.1 percentage points since 2006, with an average yearly reduction of only 0.24 percentage points. Projections suggest that if progress maintains this pace, the global gender gap is expected to close in 131 years, marginally better than the 132-year projection in 2022. Despite incremental advancements, the finish line remains disconcertingly distant, with 2154 still earmarked as the expected year of closure.
Economic Participation and Opportunity: A Setback Amid Progress
While overall progress persists, the Economic Participation and Opportunity subindex stands at 59.8%, witnessing a dip of 0.2 percentage points since 2022. This marks the only regression among subindexes. Factors contributing to this dip include reduced subindex scores for 66 economies, including populous nations like China, Indonesia, and Nigeria. The economic gender gap is estimated to close in another 169 years if the present pace endures.
Educational Attainment: A Beacon of Steady Growth
Contrasting the economic setback, the Educational Attainment subindex shines with a top-tier parity score of 96.1%. With a commendable 0.8 percentage-point increase since last year, the upward trend signifies robust and consistent progress. The estimation of 16 years to close the educational gender gap underscores the success in this dimension.
Health and Survival: A Modest Climb with Consistency
The Health and Survival subindex demonstrates a commendable score of 95.9%, marking a modest improvement of 0.2 percentage points over the previous year. Despite a slight long-term drop since 2006, the index has maintained a position above the 95% mark, showcasing resilience and consistency in this crucial dimension.
Political Empowerment: Steps Forward, A Leap Back
Political Empowerment, with a gender gap of 22.5%, observes a slight improvement of 0.1 percentage points. However, the pace of improvement has slowed, necessitating another 162 years to close this gap – a significant setback compared to the 2022 edition. Despite this, the 2023 score represents the highest absolute increase among all subindexes since 2006.
Reviewed by the International Trade and Gender Research Team of Young African Policy Research Hub