According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Gender Gap Report 2022, India ranks 135th out of 146 countries in the world in achieving gender equality. However, last year it was ranked 140th. India has jumped five places in one year. According to the report, Iceland has retained its position as the most gender-equal country in the world, followed by Finland, Norway, New Zealand and Sweden.
With the wide gender gap in the labor force expected to have the biggest impact on women’s livelihoods globally, the WEF has warned that it will take 132 years to close the gender gap. It has been mentioned that it took a generation back in the pandemic. The slow and weak recovery has made it worse globally.
India’s position is much worse among its neighbours. It is currently behind Bangladesh (71), Nepal (96), Sri Lanka (110), Maldives (117) and Bhutan (126). In South Asia, only Iran (143), Pakistan (145) and Afghanistan (146) performed worse than India.
The World Economic Forum said the gender gap score in India has recorded its seventh highest level in the past 16 years, but it remains one of the worst performers on various parameters. “With a female population of around 662 million, India’s level of achievement weighs heavily on regional rankings,” the report states.
