Gender Parity Lessons from Around the World
Originally published by Katicia Roy for World Economic Forum
In 2025, the world is still 123 years away from achieving full gender parity. That number, while daunting, marks more than a decade of progress in a single year. Nearly 70% of the global gender gap is now closed – the highest level since the pandemic, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Gender Gap Report. And within this fragile progress lies a powerful insight: Gender equity isn’t a moral accessory to economic recovery, it’s the engine.
Countries that unlock the full talent of their populations – not just half – position themselves to lead in resilience, productivity and innovation. From Iceland, the world’s most gender-equal country for 16 years running, to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has rapidly climbed into the top 70 global performers, we’re seeing evidence that when women lead, economies leap.
Progress is not automatic, however. No country has yet reached full parity. But some are accelerating faster than others by pulling three distinct and replicable power levers: political quotas, corporate board representation and artificial intelligence (AI) skills pathways.