The World Economic Forum has released its 2022 report on the global gender gap. The annual report examines four main metrics of gender parity: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. The more parity between males and females in these areas results in a higher overall score for a country.
The Global Gender Gap Report for 2022 covers 146 countries, and while there are some standout countries that are clear leaders in reducing their gender gaps entirely (when compared with most other countries), the report also makes for a pretty depressing read across the board. On a global scale, the world has reached 68.1% gender parity. The goal, of course, is 100%. At the current rate of progress, WEF estimates it will take another 132 years for full global gender parity.
That length of time is disappointing in itself, as the timeline for full gender parity has actually increased. Before 2020, the World Economic Forum estimated it would take only 100 years to reach full gender parity on a global scale. Why the longer timeline now? Blame the pandemic and the resulting jobs lost (which disproportionately impacted women), as well as increasing geopolitical uncertainty around the world.
Still, on a country level, there are some nations that are doing much better than others. Here’s the World Economic Forum’s list of the top 10 countries that are closest to reaching gender parity (remember, a score of 100% means full parity):
- Iceland: 90.8%
- Finland: 86.0%
- Norway: 84.5%
- New Zealand: 84.1%
- Sweden: 82.2%
- Rwanda: 81.1%
- Nicaragua: 81.0%
- Namibia: 80.7%
- Ireland: 80.4%
- Germany: 80.1%
If you’re wondering where the United States is on the list, it obviously didn’t make the top 10. It didn’t make the top 20 either. Nor the top 25. For 2022, the United States comes in 27th place with a 76.9% rating.
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