Unlike in most places, women are treated almost the same as men in the countries with the least gender inequality. The differences in income, job opportunities, and social rights, between males and females are minimal in these regions, guaranteeing that individuals are not discriminated against due to their sex. Although this might not be known to some, the gender gap in some countries can often lead to huge disadvantages for women, who sometimes fail to reach their goals simply because of unfair treatment and lack of opportunities.
In order to determine which are the countries with the least gender inequality, we turned to the Gender Inequality Index (GII), a tool designed by the United Nations Development Programme. According to this index, the loss of achievement generated by gender inequality can be measured using three variables: reproductive health, empowerment, and labor market participation. These factors measure health care access, share of parliamentary seats, levels of education, and the percentage of females active in the workforce, in order to calculate how much human development women are missing out on due to their gender.
Although no state can claim to have closed the gap completely, the ten countries with the least gender inequality are close to achieving this goal. The efforts made by these nations has even led to a shift in public perception, altering the way in which men regard women, and thus leading to much deeper understanding of the problem. Being aware of the negative effects on women in modern society is just as important as taking poverty seriously in the 10 countries with the worst income inequality. After all, it is impossible to improve a situation if one isn’t conscious of the underlying issue. Thus, most nations do not even take the gender gap into account, considering it a minor problem that does not need to be solved.
Of course we expect wealthy and developed countries to be at the forefront of our list, since their economic stability and social awareness tend to be elevated. In addition, one could guess that the countries with the least gender inequality are not particularly religious. At the very least, the population does not adhere to traditional values, allowing women to break free from the shackles often imposed by dominant ideologies. Now let’s take a look at the ranking and see what more we can learn.
10. Iceland
As one of the most developed countries in the world, it comes as little surprise to see Iceland on this list. After closing the gap between males and females, and passing new marriage laws, Iceland is now practically gender neutral.
9. France
France has managed to continue reducing gender inequality over the years, allowing it to climb a spot in the rankings. Gender inequality is almost a thing of the past, as the French distaste for traditional values and social injustice continues to gain ground.
8. Slovenia
Nobody expected Slovenia to make an appearance on this list, yet the Eastern European nation has made tremendous progress in terms of gender equality. The Equal Opportunities Act of 2002 is largely responsible for closing the gap between males and females.
7. Germany
As the richest and most powerful country in Europe, Germany is considered a role model in many senses. When it comes to gender equality, the fifth most-developed nation on earth has done just about everything right.
6. Finland
What kind of list would this be if Finland was not on it? Gender inequality practically does not exist in this wonderful country, making it a great place for women to start a career.
5. Norway
Considering Norway boasts the highest level of human development on the planet, it comes as little surprise that they have managed to reduce the gender gap to a minimum.
4. Switzerland
Apart from making great chocolate and being the world’s banker, Switzerland does not discriminate between men and women. Gender inequality is simply a primitive notion for the Swiss.
3. Denmark
Denmark has always been considered a very modern nation in terms of social policy. Hence, when gender inequality was raised as an issue, it didn’t take long for the Danes to solve the problem.
2. Sweden
After naming Finland and Norway, we expected to see Sweden join the ranks of countries with the least gender inequality. Scandinavians seem to have found a great balance between economic development and social progress.
1. Netherlands
As one of the most tolerant nations in Europe and the world, the Netherlands has always put great emphasis on reducing discrimination. When it comes to men and women, the Dutch can proudly state that gender inequality in their country is the lowest in the world.
