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A National Geographic report ranks the best and worst countries to be a woman based on data from the upcoming Women, Peace, and Security Index, which analyzes global differences by “measuring women’s inclusion in society, sense of security, and exposure to discrimination.” Norway ranks as the top country to be a woman, while the United States ranked at No.19.
The report measures women’s empowerment across the world based on three main indicators: inclusion, security and justice. Inclusion refers to women’s level of participation in economic, social and political opportunities. It Includes representation in government, access to cell phone use, employment opportunities for women age 25 and older, financial access and average years of education.
Security, sense of safety and exposure to violence, comprises data on intimate partner violence, community safety, and organized violence, which refers to deaths caused by large-scale armed conflicts per 100,000 people. Finally, justice refers to experience to formal and informal discrimination, such as discriminatory norms, son bias (i.e., ratio of boys’ to girls’ birth rate exceeds the natural rate), and legal discrimination.
Best Countries to Be a Woman
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Austria
- United Kingdom
- Luxembourg
- Sweden
- Netherlands
Worst Countries to Be a Woman
- Libya
- Mali
- Central African Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Iraq
- South Sudan
- Pakistan
- Syria
- Afghanistan
- Yemen
Some of the worst countries for women have improved in some critical areas, while the best are still falling behind in some key indicators of how women are faring. Rwanda, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Armenia, and Benin have made notable gains in women’s education, financial access, or representation in the national legislature. For example, 93 percent of all Rwandan women work. Meanwhile, the United States ranked lower than other countries in terms of women’s employment and government representation.
Read the full report here.