World Economic Forum Ranks U.S. 19th Among World Nations in Gender Equality

The World Economic Forum has published a new report examining the gender gap in economic opportunity, educational attainment, political participation, and health in 135 countries throughout the world.

Overall, Iceland was rated as having the highest level of gender equality. Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Ireland were ranked in the top five. The United States ranked 19th in gender equality. South African, Lesotho, and the Philippines all ranked higher than the United States.

Yemen was rated as having the lowest level of gender equality. Chad, Pakistan, Mali, and Saudi Arabia were all in the bottom five.

The United States did better in educational equality than in the overall index. The U.S. was ranked first, tied with several other countries. Chad was rated as having the lowest level of educational equality. The educational index was compiled comparing women and men’s access to elementary, secondary, and higher education as well as the nations’ literacy rates for men and women.

The full report can be downloaded here.

Here is a video discussing the World Gender Gap Report for 2011.