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Legal protection of women against violence

What this indicator measures

This score from 0 to 100 looks at whether the law addresses domestic violence, sexual harassment, femicide and child marriage. Data from the 2026 edition of “Women, Business and the Law”, which describes the written laws in force on 1 October 2025 (not their actual enforcement or uncodified customs).

How to read this?

The closer the score is to 100, the more these subjects are covered by law.

Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest

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186countries with data
100 /100maximum · Costa Rica
31.3 /100median
0 /100minimum · Yemen
2025data year(s)

In brief

Legal protection of women against violence: across 186 countries and territories, values range from 0 /100 (Yemen) to 100 /100 (Costa Rica), with a world median of 31.3 /100. Data: 2025. The top 10% of countries exceed 68.8 /100, while the bottom 10% stay below 6.3 /100. By continent, the median is highest in South America (65.6 /100) and lowest in Asia (25 /100).

Median by continent

Lower Higher
  • South America 65.6 /100 (12)
  • Europe 40.6 /100 (40)
  • North America 37.5 /100 (23)
  • Oceania 31.3 /100 (12)
  • Africa 31.3 /100 (51)
  • Asia 25 /100 (45)

Why this indicator matters

This score looks at whether the law addresses domestic violence, sexual harassment, femicide and child marriage. It makes it possible to compare the extent of women's legal protection.

What makes this indicator vary

The level depends on the history of criminal and civil laws, international commitments, reform movements and the time needed to pass new texts on these subjects.

Reading precautions

The score measures the presence of rules in written law, not their enforcement or the number of cases. It ranges from zero to one hundred and sums up four themes in a single number, which hides the differences between them.

Full ranking

ranked from highest to lowest

RankCountryValueYear
1er🇨🇷 Costa Rica100 /1002025
1er🇲🇰 North Macedonia100 /1002025
3e🇵🇪 Peru93.8 /1002025
3e🇻🇪 Venezuela93.8 /1002025
5e🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina87.5 /1002025
5e🇪🇸 Spain87.5 /1002025
5e🇭🇳 Honduras87.5 /1002025
5e🇭🇷 Croatia87.5 /1002025
5e🇲🇽 Mexico87.5 /1002025
10e🇧🇴 Bolivia81.3 /1002025
10e🇨🇾 Cyprus81.3 /1002025
12e🇳🇿 New Zealand75 /1002025
12e🇵🇭 Philippines75 /1002025
12e🇿🇲 Zambia75 /1002025
15e🇦🇷 Argentina68.8 /1002025
15e🇦🇺 Australia68.8 /1002025
15e🇧🇬 Bulgaria68.8 /1002025
15e🇪🇨 Ecuador68.8 /1002025
15e🇬🇧 United Kingdom68.8 /1002025
15e🇮🇱 Israel68.8 /1002025
15e🇲🇦 Morocco68.8 /1002025
15e🇲🇹 Malta68.8 /1002025
15e🇲🇪 Montenegro68.8 /1002025
15e🇳🇮 Nicaragua68.8 /1002025
15e🇵🇷 Puerto Rico68.8 /1002025
15e🇷🇴 Romania68.8 /1002025
15e🇸🇱 Sierra Leone68.8 /1002025
15e🇸🇮 Slovenia68.8 /1002025
15e🇹🇷 Türkiye68.8 /1002025
15e🇺🇾 Uruguay68.8 /1002025
31e🇦🇱 Albania62.5 /1002025
31e🇧🇿 Belize62.5 /1002025
31e🇧🇷 Brazil62.5 /1002025
31e🇨🇴 Colombia62.5 /1002025
31e🇫🇷 France62.5 /1002025
31e🇬🇪 Georgia62.5 /1002025
31e🇮🇪 Ireland62.5 /1002025
31e🇮🇹 Italy62.5 /1002025
31e🇳🇵 Nepal62.5 /1002025
31e🇵🇦 Panama62.5 /1002025
31e🇸🇻 El Salvador62.5 /1002025
31e🇺🇸 United States62.5 /1002025
31e🇻🇳 Vietnam62.5 /1002025
44e🇨🇱 Chile56.3 /1002025
44e🇩🇴 Dominican Republic56.3 /1002025
44e🇬🇦 Gabon56.3 /1002025
44e🇮🇳 India56.3 /1002025
44e🇲🇩 Moldova56.3 /1002025
44e🇵🇾 Paraguay56.3 /1002025
44e🇸🇪 Sweden56.3 /1002025
51e🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire50 /1002025
51e🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville50 /1002025
51e🇩🇰 Denmark50 /1002025
51e🇬🇲 Gambia50 /1002025
51e🇬🇹 Guatemala50 /1002025
51e🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan50 /1002025
51e🇰🇷 South Korea50 /1002025
51e🇱🇦 Laos50 /1002025
51e🇱🇺 Luxembourg50 /1002025
51e🇸🇬 Singapore50 /1002025
61e🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates43.8 /1002025
61e🇪🇬 Egypt43.8 /1002025
61e🇫🇯 Fiji43.8 /1002025
61e🇮🇩 Indonesia43.8 /1002025
61e🇰🇪 Kenya43.8 /1002025
61e🇱🇧 Lebanon43.8 /1002025
61e🇲🇺 Mauritius43.8 /1002025
61e🇳🇬 Nigeria43.8 /1002025
61e🇵🇰 Pakistan43.8 /1002025
61e🇸🇲 San Marino43.8 /1002025
61e🇸🇰 Slovakia43.8 /1002025
61e🇹🇬 Togo43.8 /1002025
73e🇧🇫 Burkina Faso37.5 /1002025
73e🇧🇹 Bhutan37.5 /1002025
73e🇨🇦 Canada37.5 /1002025
73e🇰🇮 Kiribati37.5 /1002025
73e🇱🇹 Lithuania37.5 /1002025
73e🇲🇻 Maldives37.5 /1002025
73e🇲🇱 Mali37.5 /1002025
73e🇵🇱 Poland37.5 /1002025
73e🇸🇨 Seychelles37.5 /1002025
73e🇺🇬 Uganda37.5 /1002025
73e🇿🇦 South Africa37.5 /1002025
84e🇦🇴 Angola31.3 /1002025
84e🇦🇹 Austria31.3 /1002025
84e🇦🇿 Azerbaijan31.3 /1002025
84e🇧🇮 Burundi31.3 /1002025
84e🇧🇪 Belgium31.3 /1002025
84e🇨🇭 Switzerland31.3 /1002025
84e🇨🇳 China31.3 /1002025
84e🇨🇻 Cape Verde31.3 /1002025
84e🇨🇿 Czechia31.3 /1002025
84e🇩🇯 Djibouti31.3 /1002025
84e🇩🇿 Algeria31.3 /1002025
84e🇬🇭 Ghana31.3 /1002025
84e🇬🇳 Guinea31.3 /1002025
84e🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau31.3 /1002025
84e🇮🇸 Iceland31.3 /1002025
84e🇱🇻 Latvia31.3 /1002025
84e🇲🇬 Madagascar31.3 /1002025
84e🇲🇭 Marshall Islands31.3 /1002025
84e🇲🇳 Mongolia31.3 /1002025
84e🇲🇿 Mozambique31.3 /1002025
84e🇲🇼 Malawi31.3 /1002025
84e🇳🇦 Namibia31.3 /1002025
84e🇳🇱 Netherlands31.3 /1002025
84e🇳🇴 Norway31.3 /1002025
84e🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea31.3 /1002025
84e🇵🇹 Portugal31.3 /1002025
84e🇷🇼 Rwanda31.3 /1002025
84e🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia31.3 /1002025
84e🇷🇸 Serbia31.3 /1002025
84e🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe31.3 /1002025
84e🇸🇷 Suriname31.3 /1002025
84e🇸🇿 Eswatini31.3 /1002025
84e🇹🇱 Timor-Leste31.3 /1002025
84e🇹🇴 Tonga31.3 /1002025
84e🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago31.3 /1002025
84e🇹🇳 Tunisia31.3 /1002025
84e🇺🇦 Ukraine31.3 /1002025
84e🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines31.3 /1002025
84e🇿🇼 Zimbabwe31.3 /1002025
123e🇦🇲 Armenia25 /1002025
123e🇨🇫 Central African Republic25 /1002025
123e🇩🇲 Dominica25 /1002025
123e🇪🇹 Ethiopia25 /1002025
123e🇫🇲 Micronesia25 /1002025
123e🇬🇷 Greece25 /1002025
123e🇬🇩 Grenada25 /1002025
123e🇭🇺 Hungary25 /1002025
123e🇰🇭 Cambodia25 /1002025
123e🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis25 /1002025
123e🇱🇨 St. Lucia25 /1002025
123e🇱🇰 Sri Lanka25 /1002025
123e🇱🇸 Lesotho25 /1002025
123e🇸🇧 Solomon Islands25 /1002025
123e🇹🇭 Thailand25 /1002025
123e🇹🇯 Tajikistan25 /1002025
123e🇺🇿 Uzbekistan25 /1002025
123e🇻🇺 Vanuatu25 /1002025
141e🇧🇯 Benin18.8 /1002025
141e🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China18.8 /1002025
141e🇯🇲 Jamaica18.8 /1002025
144e🇧🇧 Barbados12.5 /1002025
144e🇨🇲 Cameroon12.5 /1002025
144e🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa12.5 /1002025
144e🇩🇪 Germany12.5 /1002025
144e🇪🇷 Eritrea12.5 /1002025
144e🇪🇪 Estonia12.5 /1002025
144e🇫🇮 Finland12.5 /1002025
144e🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea12.5 /1002025
144e🇬🇾 Guyana12.5 /1002025
144e🇮🇶 Iraq12.5 /1002025
144e🇯🇵 Japan12.5 /1002025
144e🇱🇾 Libya12.5 /1002025
144e🇲🇾 Malaysia12.5 /1002025
144e🇵🇼 Palau12.5 /1002025
144e🇶🇦 Qatar12.5 /1002025
144e🇹🇩 Chad12.5 /1002025
144e🇹🇿 Tanzania12.5 /1002025
161e🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda6.3 /1002025
161e🇧🇩 Bangladesh6.3 /1002025
161e🇧🇭 Bahrain6.3 /1002025
161e🇧🇸 Bahamas6.3 /1002025
161e🇧🇼 Botswana6.3 /1002025
161e🇰🇲 Comoros6.3 /1002025
161e🇮🇷 Iran6.3 /1002025
161e🇯🇴 Jordan6.3 /1002025
161e🇰🇼 Kuwait6.3 /1002025
161e🇱🇷 Liberia6.3 /1002025
161e🇳🇪 Niger6.3 /1002025
161e🇸🇩 Sudan6.3 /1002025
161e🇸🇳 Senegal6.3 /1002025
161e🇼🇸 Samoa6.3 /1002025
175e🇦🇫 Afghanistan0 /1002025
175e🇧🇾 Belarus0 /1002025
175e🇧🇳 Brunei0 /1002025
175e🇭🇹 Haiti0 /1002025
175e🇰🇿 Kazakhstan0 /1002025
175e🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma)0 /1002025
175e🇲🇷 Mauritania0 /1002025
175e🇴🇲 Oman0 /1002025
175e🇷🇺 Russia0 /1002025
175e🇸🇴 Somalia0 /1002025
175e🇸🇾 Syria0 /1002025
175e🇾🇪 Yemen0 /1002025

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the highest value for "Legal protection of women against violence"?

The highest value is in Costa Rica, at 100 /100 (2025).

Which country has the lowest value for "Legal protection of women against violence"?

The lowest value is in Yemen, at 0 /100 (2025).

What is the world median value of "Legal protection of women against violence"?

The world median is 31.3 /100, calculated across 186 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.

What is the value of "Legal protection of women against violence" for France?

France scores 62.5 /100 (2025), ranking 31 out of 186 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).

Where does the "Legal protection of women against violence" data come from?

It comes from Banque mondiale – Women, Business and the Law (WBL 2.0). Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.

Which subjects does the score cover?

It covers four subjects: domestic violence, sexual harassment, femicide and child marriage.

Does a high score guarantee safety?

No. A high score indicates that the law covers these subjects. It does not measure how often violence occurs or the quality of enforcement.

Source and update

Source : Banque mondiale – Women, Business and the Law (WBL 2.0). Site last updated: November 8, 2026.

Indicators in the same category : Women's Legal Equality (Indices)