Global gender gap narrows, yet full equality over a century away

The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025 reveals that while global gender parity has improved to 68.8%, full equality remains at least 123 years away.This year marks the strongest annual improvement since the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted progress, yet the findings underscore deep-rooted disparities that continue to hamper true equality.The report, now in its 19th edition, evaluates 148 countries across four key areas: economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. This year’s gains were primarily driven by improved female representation in political roles and increased economic participation.Despite this, women hold just 28.8% of top leadership positions globally, even though they make up 41.2% of the workforce.“At a time of heightened global economic uncertainty and a low-growth outlook, advancing gender parity represents a key force for economic renewal,” said Saadia Zahidi, managing director of the World Economic Forum. “The evidence is clear. Economies that have made decisive progress towards parity are positioning themselves for stronger, more innovative, and more resilient economic progress.”Nordic nations lead the wayIceland retains its position as the most gender-equal country in the world for the 16th year in a row, having closed 92.6% of its gender gap - the only nation to exceed 90%. Finland (87.9%), Norway (86.3%), the United Kingdom (83.8%), and New Zealand (82.7%) follow, rounding out the top five. All top ten countries have closed at least 80% of their gender gaps, with European nations occupying eight of these positions.While there is a slight correlation between national income and gender parity - high-income countries have closed 74.3% of their gender gaps compared to 66.4% in low-income economies - wealth alone is not the deciding factor.Top performers among lower-income nations, such as Bangladesh and Ethiopia, have outpaced over half of high-income countries in gender parity. “It’s not just about resources,” noted the report. “Economies at all levels of development can achieve progress by integrating gender equality into national strategies.”Regional leaders and laggardsNorth America leads globally with a score of 75.8%, particularly strong in economic participation. Europe follows closely with 75.1%, bolstered by political empowerment gains.Latin America and the Caribbean saw the fastest progress since 2006, improving by 8.6 percentage points to reach 74.5%. This demonstrates that rapid progress is achievable through targeted policies. Meanwhile, Sub-Saharan Africa, at 68.0%, continues to show large intra-regional variation, though it boasts high female representation in ministerial and parliamentary roles.Southern Asia ranks seventh at 64.6%, with Bangladesh standing out as the only country in the region within the global top 50. Middle East and North Africa, despite being at the bottom with 61.7%, has made steady gains in political representation for women.Despite women's rising educational achievements, a disconnect remains in the translation to leadership roles. The report highlights that even among the most educated women, fewer than one in three hold top managerial roles.“This underutilisation of human capital is a systemic inefficiency and a missed economic opportunity,” the report warned.Sue Duke, Global Head of Public Policy at LinkedIn, echoed this concern. “Women's progress in leadership continues to decline. As AI transforms the global economy and countries battle stagnation, this leadership gap should set alarm bells ringing,” she said. “Women bring uniquely human skills essential for an AI-powered economy; skills that are being overlooked when they’re most needed.”LinkedIn’s data shows that women are 55.2% more likely to take career breaks than men, spending on average half a year longer away from work, primarily due to caregiving duties. These breaks, coupled with career paths that are increasingly non-linear, contribute to women's underrepresentation in top roles.Parity in education, yet other gaps persistHealth and educational parity remain strong globally, with more than 95% of the gender gap closed in both areas. Women now outnumber men in higher education in many countries, yet this does not correspond with economic or political influence.Political empowerment has seen the most overall improvement, with the gap narrowing by nine percentage points since 2006. However, at the current pace, it will still take 162 years to achieve full parity in political leadership.The economic gap has improved by 5.6 points since 2006, yet it is expected to take another 135 years to close.The report warns that technological disruption and geopolitical tensions, such as trade fragmentation, pose fresh risks to women’s economic progress.Many women in developing economies have benefited from export-driven formal employment in recent years, opportunities that could be jeopardised by shifting trade dynamics. As seen during the pandemic, economic shocks often have longer-lasting and more severe impacts on women, exacerbating disparities in income and wealth.Despite the long road ahead, the report remains optimistic. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Ecuador, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia have made the fastest progress, proving that where gender parity is prioritised, swift change is possible.“With consistent policy attention, investment and accountability, the gender gap can be closed far sooner than projected,” the report concludes.

Global gender gap narrows, yet full equality over a century away

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Global gender gap narrows, yet full equality over a century away

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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