Although significant progress has been made in terms of gender equality globally, it will take another five decades to effectively achieve this.
This is one of the main conclusions of Global Gender Gap Report 2024Published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), it released the results of its 18th edition, comprehensively analyzing the current state of gender equality in 146 economies around the world.
Global results indicate that despite significant progress, gender equality has not yet been achieved. With an average global gender gap score of 68.5%, the report estimates that it will take five generations, or 134 years, to achieve full parity.
This projection represents a significant delay in relation to the target established by the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
One of the highlights of the report is the analysis of five future generations who will be affected by this journey towards gender equality. Although no country has achieved full equality, 97% of the economies included in the analysis have eliminated more than 60% of the gender gap since 2006.
Iceland again leads the rankings, following other European economies, highlighting the region’s strong performance in closing the gender gap. However, the report highlights significant differences between regions, with varying progress on various dimensions such as economic participation, educational performance, health and survival, and political empowerment.
European economies account for seven of the global top 10. In addition to Iceland, they include Finland (2nd, 87.5%), Norway (3rd, 87.5%), Sweden (5th, 81.6%), Germany (7th, 81%), Ireland (9th, 80, 2%) and Spain. (10th, 79.7%). The remaining three spots are occupied by economies in East Asia and the Pacific (New Zealand, 4th, 83.5%), Latin America and the Caribbean (Nicaragua, 6th, 81.1%), and Sub-Saharan Africa (Namibia, 8th, 80). 5%). Lithuania (11th, 79.3%) and Belgium (12th, 79.3%) dropped out of the top 10, while Spain and Ireland climbed +8 and +2 places respectively, joining the top performers in 2024.
Portugal moved up the list slightly, ranking 17th.
Regional analyzes highlight developments and challenges faced in each region of the world, from Europe to sub-Saharan Africa, revealing the issues and intra-regional disparities shaping the path to gender equality.
Furthermore, the report highlights the importance of economic, business and social policies in promoting gender equality. The report emphasizes the need for concrete measures to ensure equal opportunities in all sectors of society, recognizing the fundamental role of women in the labor market and in political leadership.