Countries Setting The Benchmark For Women, Equality And Development

Parismita Goswami

When the world is still fighting for the rights and safety of women, Scandinavian countries are ahead of one’s time. The everyday news of the Middle Eastern Nations is filled with horrors and tears. And it has been quite some time now; women and children are the worst sufferers.

Countries Setting The Benchmark For Women, Equality And Development — Denmark has the highest score for women’s access to justice out of all the countries

Denmark has the highest score for women’s access to justice out of all the countries, is one of only 13 where all women have access to a bank account, and is one of only 14 countries with a fully gender-equitable legal code.

On the flip side, in Afghanistan, the average length of time that women attend school is less than three years; fewer than five percent of women have access to a bank account, and over ninety percent of women reside near areas affected by armed conflict. Afghanistan has some of the worst rates of maternal death worldwide.

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“When Women Do Well, So Do Their Countries”

The 20 lowest-ranked nations on this year’s index saw armed conflict break out between 2021 and 2022. More than half of the women in the majority of these nations—which include South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, and the Central African Republic—live close to areas of conflict.

Let’s take the example of Sweden, acclaimed as the best country for women in 2017. Unsurprisingly, this Scandinavian nation is widely regarded as a haven for women. Notably, it provides free or subsidized prenatal care for pregnant women and boasts one of the world’s most generous paid parental leave policies. Parents can enjoy 480 days of paid leave, distributed between the two partners, and the government extends a monthly allowance per child to alleviate child-rearing expenses until the child turns 16.

In the realm of education, Sweden actively promotes gender equality from an early age, facilitated by its numerous gender-neutral daycare centers that minimize gender distinctions between boys and girls. The country also stands out for its high percentage of college-educated women, with almost two-thirds of college diplomas awarded to female students.

Finland’s commitment to gender equality is deeply rooted in both political and social spheres. Finland holds the distinction of being the first country worldwide to grant full political rights to women in 1906. In politics, women occupy half of the country’s ministerial positions, and in 2014, 43.6 percent of parliamentary seats were filled by female representatives. Despite a gender pay gap, which sees a Swedish woman earning around 87 percent of a man’s monthly salary, the gap is notably narrower than that in the United States.

Denmark is second in the global ranking for women, followed by Norway, the Netherlands, and Canada, according to the 2023 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Index. Released at the Norwegian Mission to the United Nations in New York, this index designates Denmark as the top country globally for women.

While the 2023 Global Gender Gap Index reveals that no country has achieved complete gender parity, the top nine countries, including Iceland, Norway, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden, Germany, Nicaragua, Namibia, and Lithuania, have closed at least 80% of their gender gap. Iceland, leading for the 14th consecutive year with a 91.2% closure, remains the sole country to surpass a 90% reduction in its gender gap.

Completing the global top five are three Nordic countries—Norway (87.9%, 2nd), Finland (86.3%, 3rd), and Sweden (81.5%, 5th)—alongside New Zealand (85.6%, 4th) from East Asia and the Pacific, according to the 2023 Global Gender Gap Index.

As a final note

The Nordic nations—Sweden, Finland, and Norway, particularly—emerge as global leaders in advancing gender equality in various domains, such as healthcare, parental leave regulations, education, and political representation. The gender pay gap has narrowed, indicating progress, but there is still work to be done to achieve complete gender parity on a global scale.

These countries set an admirable example for inclusivity and equal opportunities for men and women. Not only do these continuous efforts to close gender gaps improve the lives of their citizens, but they also set an example for other nations aiming to attain higher levels of gender equality. These Nordic countries serve as examples of progress in a world where inequalities continue, showing the benefits of laws and cultural programs that prioritize and celebrate the contributions of both genders.

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