Kinshasa: The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released its Global Gender Gap Report 2025, revealing that seven African countries are among the ten lowest-ranked nations worldwide in terms of gender parity.
According to Global Voices, Pakistan sits at the very bottom of the report – 148th out of 148 economies covered, with a gender parity score of 56.7 percent. Just above it are Sudan (57.0 percent, 147th), Chad (57.1 percent, 146th), and Iran (58.3 percent, 145th). Other African countries in the bottom 10 include Guinea (59.5 percent, 144th), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (60.1 percent, 143rd), Niger (61.3 percent, 142nd), Algeria (61.4 percent, 141st), and Mali (61.7 percent, 140th).
Liberia, Eswatini, Zambia, and Nigeria have performed relatively better, ranking among the top 25 globally in the economic category. Liberia ranks second with 86.5 percent, while Eswatini ranks third with 85.6 percent. South Africa, however, places 98th. Sudan and Egypt are among the bottom five globally due to low earned-income ratios and minimal representation of women in leadership roles.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks eighth in educational attainment, showing improvement driven by better enrolment parity at all education levels. Botswana, Lesotho, and Namibia have reached full parity in educational attainment. In health and survival, several African countries share the top global position with a parity score of 98 percent. However, Liberia and Algeria fall within the bottom 10 globally on this metric.
On political empowerment, Sub-Saharan Africa ranks fifth globally. Ethiopia leads the continent, placing 12th worldwide. Nigeria, Eswatini, and Sudan are among the lowest globally. Rwanda is notable for achieving full parliamentary gender parity, and South Africa and Ethiopia have reached gender parity in ministerial cabinets.
The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is particularly concerning. Despite its natural resources, the DRC remains among the world’s poorest nations and ranks low on the Human Development Index. According to a UN policy brief, women in the DRC face significant challenges in accessing jobs and education. The country’s constitution establishes a legal basis for equality, yet women occupy only a small percentage of high-level decision-making positions.
Byobe Malenga, a multimedia journalist, highlighted barriers to political inclusion such as lack of funding, sexism, and limited education access. Climate shocks further exacerbate gender disparities, affecting women in agriculture disproportionately.
Benin and Zambia showed notable improvements in the report, while Togo and Sierra Leone experienced declines. Mozambique and Kenya also saw significant drops in their rankings. Globally, the gender gap has narrowed slightly, driven by improvements in political empowerment and economic participation. Iceland continues to lead the index, having closed over 90 percent of its gender gap.