India Retained 131st Rank on Global Gender Gap Index 2026

The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2026 shows the world edging closer to gender parity than ever before, even as certain areas like political leadership show signs of slipping backward. India held steady at the 131st position this year, reflecting the mixed pace of progress across different regions.

Iceland Tops Global Gender Gap Index 2026 for 17th Consecutive Year

Iceland continues to lead the rankings, having closed 93% of its gender gap, the only economy in the world to cross the 90% mark. It's now been at the top for 17 straight years.

Key Global Findings from the Global Gender Gap Index 2026

Global Parity Progress

Across 145 economies studied this year, the world has closed 69.2% of its overall gender gap, a slight improvement from last year. Economic participation and political empowerment remain the two weakest areas, far behind education and health.

Time to Full Parity

At the current rate of change, full global gender parity is still roughly 120 years away a sobering reminder that progress, while real, is happening slowly.

Top Ranked 10 Countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2026

Finland and Norway held on to second and third place. Namibia jumped into fourth spot, becoming the top-ranked country from Sub-Saharan Africa. The UK, New Zealand, Sweden, Australia, Germany, and Ireland rounded out the top 10, with Australia entering this list for the very first time.

1. Iceland – Score: 0.9302. 
2. Finland – Score: 0.8723. 
3. Norway – Score: 0.8574. 
4. Namibia – Score: 0.8455. 
5. United Kingdom – Score: 0.8426.
6. New Zealand – Score: 0.8287. 
7. Sweden – Score: 0.8238. 
8. Australia – Score: 0.8199. 
9. Germany – Score: 0.81710. 
10. Ireland – Score: 0.814

Worst-Performing Countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2026

While the report highlights strong climbers like Kenya and Ghana, it also flags regions like the Middle East and North Africa, which continue to record the lowest political empowerment score of any region globally.

Europe Leads Regional Rankings

Europe reclaimed the top spot among regions, having closed over 75% of its gender gap. Seven of the world's top 10 performing countries come from Europe, and the region also leads globally on women's political representation.

India's Performance in the Global Gender Gap Index 2026

Overall Rank and Overall Gender Parity Score

India retained its position at 131st in this year's index, showing little movement compared to the previous edition, even as the global average score inched upward.

Economic Participation

India falls under the Southern Asia region, which recorded the weakest economic participation and opportunity score of any region worldwide, pointing to persistent gaps in women's workforce representation and pay.

Long-Term Growth

Southern Asia as a whole remains among the lowest-scoring regions overall, underlining that sustained, long-term reforms are still needed to close gender gaps in employment and leadership roles.