Kinshasa: The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released its Global Gender Gap Report 2025, revealing that seven African countries are among the ten lowest-ranked nations worldwide in terms of gender parity. This latest report places Pakistan at the very bottom, ranking 148th out of 148 economies, with a gender parity score of 56.7 percent. Following closely are Sudan (57.0 percent, 147th), Chad (57.1 percent, 146th), and Iran (58.3 percent, 145th). Other African nations in the bottom 10 include Guinea (59.5 percent, 144th), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (60.1 percent, 143rd), Niger (61.3 percent, 142nd), Algeria (61.4 percent, 141st), and Mali (61.7 percent, 140th).
According to Global Voices, the Global Gender Gap Index highlights varying performances among African countries in different aspects of gender parity. Liberia, Eswatini, Zambia, and Nigeria rank among the top 25 globally in economic participation, with Liberia and Eswatini taking the 2nd and 3rd spots, respectively. In contrast, Sudan and Egypt find themselves among the bottom five globally due to low earned-income ratios and minimal female representation in leadership roles.
Sub-Saharan Africa has seen improvement in educational attainment, ranking eighth globally with a score of 85.6 percent. This progress is attributed to increased enrolment parity across all educational levels, with women surpassing men in tertiary enrolment rates. Botswana, Lesotho, and Namibia have reached full parity in educational attainment, joining 41 countries worldwide.
In health and survival, countries like Cape Verde, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia, and Uganda share the top global position with a parity score of 98 percent. However, Liberia and Algeria rank among the bottom globally in this metric. Sub-Saharan Africa ranks fifth in political empowerment, with Ethiopia leading the continent and placing 12th worldwide. Rwanda notably achieves full parliamentary gender parity, while South Africa and Ethiopia have gender parity in ministerial cabinets.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), ranked 143rd with a score of 60.1 percent, faces significant gender challenges. Despite its natural resources, the DRC remains one of the world’s poorest nations. A UN policy brief highlights pervasive inequalities, with women having limited access to decent jobs and education. Byobe Malenga, a media entrepreneur, underscores the marginalization of women in decision-making due to societal norms and structural inequalities. Women, who form the majority of the agricultural workforce, are particularly vulnerable to climate shocks.
Benin has shown the most significant improvement in gender parity, climbing 21 places to 113th position. Zambia also progressed, while Togo and Sierra Leone experienced declines. Globally, the gender gap has narrowed slightly from 68.4 percent to 68.8 percent. Iceland remains the leader in the Global Gender Gap Index, having closed over 90 percent of its gender gap since 2022.