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. The report places Pakistan at the bottom of the list, ranking 148th out of the 148 economies covered, with a gender parity score of 56.7 percent. Close behind 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).
According to Global Voices, the report highlights various aspects of gender parity across African nations. Liberia, Eswatini, Zambia, and Nigeria rank among the top 25 globally in economic participation, with South Africa placing 98th. Conversely, Sudan and Egypt are among the bottom five globally in terms of earned-income ratios and representation of women in leadership roles. Sub-Saharan Africa shows progress in educational attainment, ranking eighth globally with a score of 85.6 percent. This improvement is largely due to increased enrolment parity at all education levels, with women surpassing men in tertiary enrolment rates. Botswana, Lesotho, and Namibia have reached full parity in educational attainment.
In the health and survival subindex, Cape Verde, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia, and Uganda share the top global position with a parity score of 98 percent. However, Liberia and Algeria fall within the bottom 10 globally. On political empowerment, Sub-Saharan Africa ranks fifth globally, led by Ethiopia, which places 12th worldwide. Notably, Rwanda is the only African economy with full parliamentary gender parity, with women holding 50 percent or more of legislative seats. South Africa and Ethiopia have achieved gender parity in their ministerial cabinets.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) faces significant gender challenges, ranking 143rd with a score of 60.1 percent. Despite its natural resources, the DRC remains one of the world’s poorest nations. According to a UN policy brief, inequalities are prevalent, with limited access to decent jobs and education for women and girls. Women are underrepresented in parliament and leadership roles due to social norms and structural inequalities. Byobe Malenga, a multimedia journalist, notes that barriers to political inclusion include lack of funding, sexism, political violence, and limited education access. The DRC’s constitution establishes a legal basis for equality, yet women occupy only 7.2 percent of top decision-making positions.
Climate shocks exacerbate gender disparities, affecting women who comprise a significant portion of the agricultural workforce. According to the World Bank Group (WBG), only 16.8 percent of Congolese women complete secondary school. Byobe emphasizes empowering communities to address these challenges effectively.
The report also notes significant trends, with Benin recording substantial improvement, gaining 4.6 percentage points and climbing 21 places to 113th. Zambia also made progress, moving up 13 places to 79th. However, Togo and Sierra Leone experienced declines, while Mozambique dropped 26 places to 53rd. Nigeria climbed one place to 124th, while Kenya fell by 23 places to 98th.
Globally, the gender gap has narrowed slightly from 68.4 percent in 2024 to 68.8 percent in 2025, driven by improvements in Political Empowerment and Economic Participation. Iceland continues to lead the index, having closed more than 90 percent of its gender gap since 2022. The report underscores that full gender parity remains elusive, projected to take 123 years at the current pace.