Global Gender Gap Report 2025: Pakistan Ranks Last
The report's key findings include a decline in Pakistan's ranking, a slowing number of women in top jobs, and a projected 123 years to reach full parity globally, emphasizing the need for sustained efforts to address the gender gap and promote equality in all aspects of society.
Pakistan has been ranked 148th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2025, with a score of 56.7%, marking its lowest ranking since 2006. The country's economic participation and opportunity parity declined, while educational attainment parity showed improvement. The global gender gap score stood at 68.8%, with Iceland leading the index for the 16th consecutive year.
The report highlights a decline in Pakistan's economic participation and opportunity parity, with a 1.3 percentage point decrease, and an increase in income disparity. However, the country's educational attainment parity improved by 1.5 percentage points, driven by increased female literacy rates and lower male enrolment shares in tertiary education. This improvement is a positive step towards bridging the gender gap in education.
The Global Gender Gap Report 2025 also notes that the number of women in top jobs has slowed for a third consecutive year, with only 28.8% of women reaching senior leadership roles despite making up 41.2% of the global workforce. This disparity is a concern, as it indicates a lack of representation of women in leadership positions. The report also states that it will take 123 years to reach full parity globally, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to bridge the gender gap.
Iceland remains the most gender-equal economy, according to the report. The country's consistent ranking as a leader in gender equality is a testament to its commitment to bridging the gender gap. The report also notes that AI is expected to reshape the world of work, demanding new skills from business leaders, and women are uniquely positioned to navigate and lead in the AI economy.
The Global Gender Gap Report 2025 serves as a reminder of the need for continued efforts to bridge the gender gap, not only in Pakistan but also globally. The report's findings highlight the importance of addressing the disparities in economic participation, education, and political representation to achieve full parity.