The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released the Global Gender Gap Report 2025
Global Gender Gap Report
- Published annually by the World Economic Forum (WEF) since 2006.
- It assesses countries on gender-based gaps, not absolute levels.
- The report evaluates performance across four key dimensions:
- Economic participation and opportunity
- Educational attainment
- Health and survival
- Political empowerment

India’s Performance in 2025 Report
- Overall Rank: 131 out of 148 countries
- Gender Parity Score: 64.1% (Among the lowest in South Asia)
- Education: Score improved to 97.1%, due to higher female literacy and college enrolment
- Economic Participation: Slight rise to 40.7%, indicating better employment parity
- Health and Survival: Improvement seen in sex ratio at birth and life expectancy
- Political Empowerment: Declined from 14.7% to 13.8% female representation in Parliament
Global Highlights
- Iceland remains the top-ranked country, closing 92.6% of the gender gap
- Other top countries include Finland, Norway, and Sweden
- Worst performers include Pakistan, Sudan, Chad, and Iran, with major gender inequalities
GLOBAL GENDER GAP REPORT 2024 VS 2025
- 2024: India ranked 129th
- 2025: Slipped two places to 131st out of 148 countries
Gender Parity Score:
- 2024: Around 64.3%
- 2025: Dropped slightly to 64.1%, showing stagnation in closing the gender gap
Economic Participation:
- 2024: Score was approximately 39.8%
- 2025: Improved slightly to 40.7%, reflecting better access to jobs and income for women
Political Empowerment:
- 2024: Women’s representation in Parliament was 14.7%
- 2025: Declined to 13.8%, indicating reduced female presence in political decision-making
Conclusion
India has made gains in education and health but still needs major improvements in women’s economic and political inclusion to bridge the gender gap.
PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTION
Which of the following reports is/are published by the World Economic Forum (WEF)?
- Global Gender Gap Report
- Global Risk Report
- Global Financial Stability Report
- Travel and Tourism Development Index
Select the correct answer using the code below:
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 4 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B
Explanation:
- Global Gender Gap Report – Published by WEF
- Global Risk Report – Published by WEF
- Global Financial Stability Report – Published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- Travel and Tourism Development Index – Published by WEF