5 Worst Countries for Gender Equality

In this article, we take a look at the 5 worst countries for gender equality. If you would like to take a look at our detailed analysis of the economic impact of gender inequality, you can go to the 25 Worst Countries for Gender Equality. 

05. Afghanistan

GII Score: 0.665

GDI Score: 0.622 (Group 5)

In 2018, 34.7% of Afghan women aged 15-49 reported that they had been subjected to intimate partner violence in the last 12 months. The unemployment rate for women is 10.1%, whereas 71.5% of the female adult population lives in severe food insecurity. In the private sector, only 4.1% of managerial seats are held by women.

04. Chad

GII Score: 0.671

GDI Score: 0.776 (Group 5)

Chad also has one of the world’s highest rates of underage marriages. 60.6% of women aged 20-24 get married before the age of 18. According to World Bank data from 2021, the country had an adolescent birth rate of 138 per 1,000 women aged 15-19, one of the world’s highest.

03. Somalia

GII Score: 0.674

GDI Score: 0.769 (Group 5)

In 2019, only 2.1% of the women in Somalia reported that their family planning needs were satisfied with the available modern methods. 35.5% of women aged 20-24 get married before they turn 18. UN Women has access to data for only 21.3% of the gender-based SDG indicators in Somalia, which makes it one of the worst countries for gender equality and data availability.

02. Nigeria

GII Score: 0.677

GDI Score: 0.886 (Group 5)

As of February 2021, women hold only 3.6% of the seats in the Nigerian Parliament. 43.4% of women aged 20-24 are married before their 18th birthday. 73.4% of the adult women population is facing severe food insecurity, and 32.2% of employed women live below the international poverty line.

01. Yemen

GII Score: 0.82

GDI Score: 0.456 (Group 5)

Yemen has the worst ranking on both the Gender Inequality Index as well as the Gender Development Index, making it the number one country on our list of countries with the worst gender equality. As of February 2021, women held only 0.3% of the Yemeni parliament seats, representing a severe gap in the policymaking arena. 

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