The Global Gender Gap Index

The Global Gender Gap Index, introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2006, is a framework for capturing the magnitude and scope of gender-based disparities and tracking their progress. The Index benchmarks national gender gap on economic, political, education and health based criteria, and provides country rankings that allow for effective comparisons across regions and income groups, and over time. The rankings are designed to create greater awareness among a global audience of the challenges posed by gender gaps and the opportunities created by reducing them. The methodology and quantitative analysis behind the rankings are intended to serve as a basis for designing effective measures for reducing gender gaps.

The Global Gender Gap Index 2010 rankings

Southern Africa

Southern Africa

The southern African region performs well on the economic participation and opportunity sub index, ranking ahead of Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East and North Africa. In fact, of the top 10 performers on the labour force participation gender gap indicator, six countries are from the region. However, poor enrolment rates and low levels of life expectancy continue to pose major challenges. Lesotho (8) reassumes the top spot in the region after having lost it last year, and is once again the only country from the region to have no gap in education and health.

Lesotho is followed by South Africa (12) as the only other African country in the top 20. Although South Africa holds the top spot in the region on political empowerment, the percentage of female ministers fell from 45% to 34% this year.

Updated data from the World Health Organization regarding healthy life expectancy shows that the difference between female and male healthy life expectancy continues to narrow.

Mozambique (22) moves up in the rankings, gaining four places as female enrolment in secondary school increases from 2% to 6% and women’s percentage in parliament moves up from 35% to 39%.

Mozambique holds the second-best position on the labour force participation indicator overall. Namibia (25) moves up seven places from 32nd place last year.

Botswana (62) loses 23 places in the rankings in 2010, mainly because the latest data reveal a worsening gap in the economic participation and opportunity sub index. However, Botswana, in addition to Lesotho, is one of two countries from the region that has achieved gender parity on education. Botswana is followed in the rankings by Tanzania (66) and Malawi (68).

Madagascar occupies the 80th position on the Index, followed by Angola (81). Zimbabwe (92) moves up three spots compared with last year’s rankings but continues to hold the last position on the healthy life expectancy indicator, with women living two years less than men at an average healthy life expectancy of only 38 years. Mauritius (95) and Zambia (106) hold the worst places in the region’s rankings.

The United Nations Human Development Index was also recently released.

http://www.weforum.org/pdf/gendergap/report2010.pdf