In the recently published Global Gender Gap Report 2026 by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Pakistan found itself positioned third from the bottom, achieving a gender parity score of 59.5%. This figure reflects an increase of nearly 3% from the previous year.
The report evaluates the status and progress of gender parity across four principal areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
Among the 38 lower-middle-income countries assessed, Pakistan ranked the lowest, as well as being the least favorable in comparison to its South Asian counterparts, which include seven nations. Despite being among the bottom-tier economies, the report indicates that Pakistan has made strides in closing its gender gap over the years, with an improvement of 5.2 percentage points since 2006, when the gap was at 54.3%. Notably, the 2026 report highlights the most significant year-on-year progress in a decade, largely attributed to advancements in educational attainment.
