Most gender equal countries in the world 2021

According to the Gender Inequality Index (GII), Denmark was the most gender equal country in the world in 2021. The Gender Inequality Index measures reflecting inequality in achievement between women and men in three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment, and the labor market. A low GII value indicates low inequality between women and men and vice versa. Yemen was considered the least gender equal country that same year.

Gender inequality in the workplace

The most prominent source of gender inequality is the workplace, often captured by the gender pay gap. In 2021, women still earned one percent less than their male counterparts with the same qualification and the same job. Women are less represented in senior roles and top management positions, with only 18 percent of companies worldwide having a female top manager. The same situation can be observed in government roles - only 15 out of 195 countries worldwide have ever had a woman in the highest position of executive power.

Future outlook

Numbers on how long it will take to close gender gaps highly differ between regions. In Western Europe it is estimated that it will take around 60 years to achieve equality between the genders. In South Asia, on the other hand, it is supposed to take 197 years. New data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased female poverty worldwide and widened the gender poverty gap even further. Heightened female poverty will also negatively impact the Gender Inequality Index (GII).