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.
According to Global Voices, Pakistan sits at the very bottom of the list, ranking 148th out of 148 economies covered, with a gender parity score of 56.7 percent. Following closely are African nations Sudan (57.0 percent, 147th), Chad (57.1 percent, 146th), and Guinea (59.5 percent, 144th), along with 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).
The report highlights some brighter spots on the continent, with Liberia (86.5 percent), Eswatini (85.6 percent), Zambia, and Nigeria (76.2 percent) ranking among the top 25 globally in this economic category. Sub-Saharan Africa ranks eighth in educational attainment, with a score of 85.6 percent, driven by improved enrolment parity across all levels of education.
Botswana, Lesotho, and Namibia have achieved full parity in educational attainment, while Cape Verde, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia, and Uganda lead globally in health and survival with a parity score of 98 percent. On the political empowerment front, Sub-Saharan Africa ranks fifth globally, with Ethiopia leading the continent at 12th worldwide.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), ranked 143rd with a score of 60.1 percent, faces acute gender challenges despite its rich natural resources. According to Byobe Malenga, a multimedia journalist in Kinshasa, women in the DRC are underrepresented in leadership roles across nearly every sector due to social norms and structural inequalities. Climate shocks further exacerbate these disparities, affecting women disproportionately, especially in agriculture.
Benin recorded the most significant improvement on the continent, while Zambia also made notable progress. However, Togo and Sierra Leone saw declines, and Mozambique fell significantly in the rankings. Overall, the global gender gap has narrowed slightly since 2024, with improvements in political empowerment and economic participation contributing to this modest progress.
The report underscores the ongoing challenges in achieving full gender parity, projecting that it will take 123 years to reach this goal globally. Iceland continues to lead the Global Gender Gap Index, having closed over 90 percent of its gender gap since 2022.