The World Economic Forum published the new Global Gender Gap Report on October 27th. It ranks countries on how equitably resources and opportunities are allocated across their male and female populations. It bases these rankings on data pertaining to economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political entitlement. The report is accessible here. A figure of 1.0 would indicate complete equality. Iceland is in first place with the top score of 0.8276. The United States is ranked 31st with a score of 0.7173. Yemen is ranked last -134th – with a score of 0.4609.
Via.
Sometimes these reports baffle me. I can accept the first five countries on the list, but South Africa at #6–really? With Denmark at #7? And how on earth can the Philippines be above the Netherlands, the UK, Switzerland, Australia and the States? It’s said that 70% of women in the Philippines live in poverty, and it is of course also a major hub for mail-order brides. Uganda, with a 57% literate female population, comes in at #40. Meanwhile, Luxembourg is #63.
I have to say I would rather live in one of the more poorly-rated, Western countries and get paid a buck an hour less than have to worry about somewhat socially-accepted rape at every corner or how I was going to learn to read.
With rape, poor mortality rates for women and infants, high birth rates, low female literacy rates and extreme poverty for women in some of these countries, you have to wonder how on earth they got rated so highly. Is it just that, in some of these countries, neither gender has great access to certain resources, and so it screws around with the calculations? That’s the only possible explanation I can come up with!
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