20171114-世经论坛-The_Global_Gender_Gap_Report_2017_361页_13mb

Summary of The Global Gender Gap Report 2017

Core Content

The Global Gender Gap Report 2017 is an annual publication by the World Economic Forum (WEF), aiming to measure and analyze gender-based disparities across the globe. It uses the Global Gender Gap Index (GGI), a tool that evaluates gender equality based on four key dimensions: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. The report also features Country Profiles, which offer in-depth insights into individual nations' progress, and an online Data Explorer to facilitate comparative analysis.

Main Findings

Global Gender Gap Progress

• In 2017, the average global progress on closing the gender gap stood at 68.0%, indicating a 32.0% gap remains to be closed.
• The economic participation and political empowerment gaps are the most significant, with only 58% of the economic gap and 23% of the political gap closed.
• The health and survival gap has increased since 2006, and the education gap has slightly decreased compared to the previous year.
• The global gender gap is expected to close in 100 years, but the economic gap could take 217 years to close if current trends continue.

Regional Performance

• Four regions have a remaining gender gap of less than 30%: Western Europe (25%), North America (28%), Eastern Europe and Central Asia (29%), and Latin America and the Caribbean (29.8%).
• The Middle East and North Africa region crossed the 40% threshold for the first time in 2017.
• The East Asia and the Pacific region has a slightly better performance than Sub-Saharan Africa (31.7% vs. 32.4%).

Country-Level Progress

• Out of 142 countries analyzed, 82 have improved their gender gap scores compared to the previous year, while 60 have seen a decrease.
• The top 10 countries in the GGI are dominated by Western European nations, particularly the Nordics, with two countries from East Asia and the Pacific, one from Sub-Saharan Africa, one from Latin America and the Caribbean, and one from Eastern Europe and Central Asia also making the list.
• All but three of the top 10 countries have closed more than 80% of their overall gender gap.

Economic Impacts of Gender Parity

• The report highlights that gender parity could lead to significant economic benefits.
• It estimates that achieving economic gender parity could increase GDP by:
  • $250 billion in the UK
  • $1.75 trillion in the US
  • $550 billion in Japan
  • $320 billion in France
  • $310 billion in Germany
  • $2.5 trillion in China
  • $5.3 trillion globally by 2025

Key Insights and Methodology

Index Construction

• The GGI is based on 14 indicators across the four subindexes.
• The methodology has remained stable since 2006, allowing for comparative and longitudinal analysis.
• The index is weighted by population, providing a more accurate reflection of national progress.

Conceptual Framework

• The report emphasizes measuring gaps rather than levels of access to resources and opportunities.
• It focuses on outcome variables, not input variables, to evaluate gender equality.
• The index ranks countries based on gender equality, not women's empowerment, ensuring a balanced and objective assessment.

Occupational Gender Gaps

• A significant issue identified is the occupational gender gap, which reflects systemic biases in hiring, retention, and promotion.
• Men are underrepresented in Education and Health and Welfare, while women are underrepresented in Engineering, Manufacturing, Construction, and Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT).
• These gaps hinder diversity and innovation, especially in sectors like the care economy and emerging technologies.

Conclusion and Call to Action

The report concludes that while some countries have made notable progress, the global gender gap is still widening in certain areas, particularly in economic participation. It calls for collaboration among governments, businesses, and civil society to accelerate gender equality.

The WEF encourages bold policy-making by governments, prioritization of gender equality by businesses, and individual responsibility in making choices that support gender parity.

Key Partners and Contributors

• LinkedIn collaborated on research and data analysis.
• Ricardo Hausmann and Laura D'Andrea Tyson provided expertise and support.
• The report acknowledges contributions from numerous individuals and institutions, including the UNDP, UNESCO, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Legal and Usage Notes

• The data is subject to change without notice.
• Users must attribute the WEF when using or reproducing data.
• The WEF does not endorse third-party products or services.
• The report provides a comprehensive framework for understanding gender gaps and their economic implications.