A new report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicates that the global gender gap has decreased to 69.2%, but if the current trend continues, achieving gender equality will take another 120 years. This means that complete gender equality will not be realized within the lifetime of current women and may not be achieved until the next generation of their grandchildren.
Global Gender Gap Status
According to the 2026 WEF report, Iceland ranks first with the smallest gender gap, while European economies continue to hold the highest positions in this index. This index examines the gaps between women and men in four essential areas of society and the economy, and therefore cannot be limited solely to the level of development or women's outcomes. Overall, 69.2% of the gender gap has been closed in the 145 economies covered by this report, marking the highest level since the report's inception two decades ago.
Political and Economic Challenges
While progress in some areas, such as access to education, is evident, in other areas like political empowerment, the gaps remain deep and concerning. Only 22.1% of the political gap has currently been closed, and it is estimated that achieving equality in this area will take 194 years. This indicates that progress in educational fields has not been accompanied by improvements in women's representation in political decision-making.
The WEF report also shows that women's economic participation remains incomplete in this picture. This section addresses the differences in labor force participation, income, and access to senior and professional positions. Specifically, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region continues to lag behind other regions such as Europe and North America in closing the gender gap. Thus, MENA is expected to achieve 62.5% gender equality by 2026, and if the current trend continues, achieving complete equality will take 182 years.
Despite the remaining dimensions of this gap, the WEF emphasizes that MENA is still a region where significant reforms are underway, and progress has been recorded in educational fields and economic participation. However, political empowerment remains the biggest challenge in this region, with only 11.5% of the gender gap in this area closed.
Overall, this report reflects various advancements in gender equality, but the pace of these advancements significantly varies depending on individuals' living locations and whether equality is measured in education, work, health, or political power.
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