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Women's legal equality: overall index
What this indicator measures
This index sums up, from 0 to 100, how far written laws give women the same economic rights as men. It is the average of ten thematic scores: safety, mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, childcare, entrepreneurship, assets and pension. Data from the 2026 edition of "Women, Business and the Law", which describes written laws in force on 1 October 2025 (not their actual enforcement or uncodified customs).
How to read this?
100 means that all the rules assessed are written into law; 0 means that none are.
Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest
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186countries with data
97.9 /100maximum · Spain
70 /100median
5 /100minimum · Afghanistan
2025data year(s)
In brief
Women's legal equality: overall index: across 186 countries and territories, values range from 5 /100 (Afghanistan) to 97.9 /100 (Spain), with a world median of 70 /100. Data: 2025. The top 10% of countries exceed 88.5 /100, while the bottom 10% stay below 43.5 /100. By continent, the median is highest in Europe (87 /100) and lowest in Oceania (49.5 /100).
Median by continent
- Europe 87 /100 (40)
- South America 80.5 /100 (12)
- North America 66.9 /100 (23)
- Africa 59 /100 (51)
- Asia 57.9 /100 (45)
- Oceania 49.5 /100 (12)
Why this indicator matters
This index sums up in a single score whether written laws give women the same economic rights as men. It allows a quick comparison of legal equality between countries, across ten themes of working life.
What makes this indicator vary
The differences come from the history of law, legal traditions, the place of women in society and reforms adopted over time. Laws often change theme by theme, not all at once.
Reading precautions
The index measures written laws, not their enforcement or customs. An average can hide large gaps between themes. The data are fixed at a specific date, and laws may change afterwards.
Full ranking
ranked from highest to lowest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇪🇸 Spain | 97.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 2e | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 94.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 3e | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 94.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 4e | 🇫🇷 France | 92.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 4e | 🇮🇹 Italy | 92.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 6e | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 92.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 7e | 🇦🇺 Australia | 91.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 8e | 🇬🇷 Greece | 91.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 9e | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 91.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 10e | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 91.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 10e | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 91.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 12e | 🇦🇹 Austria | 90.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 13e | 🇷🇴 Romania | 90.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 14e | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 90 /100 | 2025 |
| 15e | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 89.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 16e | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 89 /100 | 2025 |
| 17e | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 88.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 17e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 88.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 19e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 88.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 20e | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 88.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 20e | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 88.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 20e | 🇲🇹 Malta | 88.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 23e | 🇳🇴 Norway | 88.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 24e | 🇨🇦 Canada | 87.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 25e | 🇺🇸 United States | 87.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 26e | 🇫🇮 Finland | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 27e | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 87.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 28e | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 86.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 28e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 86.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 30e | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 86.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 31e | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 86.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 32e | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 86.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 32e | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 86.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 34e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 85.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 35e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 85.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 36e | 🇩🇪 Germany | 85.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 37e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 84.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 38e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 84.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 39e | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 84.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 40e | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 83.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 41e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 83.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 42e | 🇵🇱 Poland | 83.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 43e | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 82.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 44e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 82.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 45e | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 82.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 45e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 82.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 82.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 48e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 82 /100 | 2025 |
| 49e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 81.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 50e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 81.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 51e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 81.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 52e | 🇯🇵 Japan | 80.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 53e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 80.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 54e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 80.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 55e | 🇮🇱 Israel | 80.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 56e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 80.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 57e | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 80 /100 | 2025 |
| 58e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 79.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 79.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 60e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 79.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 61e | 🇸🇲 San Marino | 78.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 62e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 78.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 63e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 78.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 78.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 65e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 77.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 66e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 76.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 67e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 76.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 67e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 76.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 69e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 76.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 70e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 76.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 71e | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 76.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 71e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 76.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 73e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 75.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 74e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 75e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 74.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 77e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 74.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 78e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 73 /100 | 2025 |
| 79e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 73 /100 | 2025 |
| 80e | 🇬🇩 Grenada | 72.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 80e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 72.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 82e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 72.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 83e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 72.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 84e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 72.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 85e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 71.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 86e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 71.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 71.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 88e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 71.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 89e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 71.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 90e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 70.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 91e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 70.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 92e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 70.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 93e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 70 /100 | 2025 |
| 94e | 🇨🇳 China | 70 /100 | 2025 |
| 95e | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 69.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 96e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 69.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 97e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 98e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 68.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 99e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 68.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 100e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 67.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 101e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 67.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 102e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 67.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 103e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 66.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 104e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 66.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 105e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 66.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 105e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 66.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 107e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 66.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 66.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 109e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 64.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 110e | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 64.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 111e | 🇱🇨 St. Lucia | 64.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 112e | 🇧🇿 Belize | 64.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 113e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 64.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 114e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 63.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 115e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 63.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 116e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 62.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 117e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 118e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 62.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 119e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 61.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 120e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 61.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 121e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 61 /100 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis | 60.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 123e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 59.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 124e | 🇩🇲 Dominica | 59 /100 | 2025 |
| 125e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 59 /100 | 2025 |
| 126e | 🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines | 58.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 127e | 🇮🇳 India | 57.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 127e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 57.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 57.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 130e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 57.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 131e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 56.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 132e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 56.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 133e | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda | 56 /100 | 2025 |
| 134e | 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 55.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 135e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 55.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 136e | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 54.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 137e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 53.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 138e | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 53.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 139e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 53.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 140e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 53.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 52.9 /100 | 2025 |
| 142e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 52.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 143e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 52.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 144e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 51.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 145e | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 51.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 146e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 51.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 147e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 51.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 147e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 51.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 149e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 50.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 150e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 50.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 151e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 50.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 152e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 50.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 153e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 49.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 49.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 155e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 48.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 48.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 157e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 47.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 158e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 47.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 159e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 46.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 160e | 🇫🇲 Micronesia | 46.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 160e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 46.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 162e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 46.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 46.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 164e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 45.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 165e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 45.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 166e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 44.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 167e | 🇵🇼 Palau | 43.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 168e | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 43.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 169e | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 39.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 170e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 39.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 171e | 🇧🇳 Brunei | 38.6 /100 | 2025 |
| 172e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 38.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 38.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 174e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 36.7 /100 | 2025 |
| 175e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 35.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 176e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 35.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 177e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 34.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 177e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 34.4 /100 | 2025 |
| 179e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 34.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 180e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 33.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 181e | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 27.2 /100 | 2025 |
| 182e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 26.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 183e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 26.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 184e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 24.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 185e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 19.1 /100 | 2025 |
| 186e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 5 /100 | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Women's legal equality: overall index"?
The highest value is in Spain, at 97.9 /100 (2025).
Which country has the lowest value for "Women's legal equality: overall index"?
The lowest value is in Afghanistan, at 5 /100 (2025).
What is the world median value of "Women's legal equality: overall index"?
The world median is 70 /100, calculated across 186 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Women's legal equality: overall index" for France?
France scores 92.9 /100 (2025), ranking 4 out of 186 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).
Where does the "Women's legal equality: overall index" 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.
How do I read this score?
It runs from zero to one hundred. The closer it gets to one hundred, the more written laws give women the same economic rights as men on the themes assessed.
Which themes go into the index?
The index is the average of ten themes: safety, mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, childcare, entrepreneurship, assets and pension.
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)
- Legal protection of women against violenceThis 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).
- Women's legal equality: access to employmentThis score from 0 to 100 looks at whether the law allows women to get a job like men, prohibits discrimination in hiring and at work, and allows requests for flexible work. 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 application or uncodified customs).
- Women's legal equality: property and inheritanceThis score from 0 to 100 looks at whether the law gives women the same rights as men over immovable property, inheritance (daughters and surviving wives) and the value of unpaid work in a divorce. Data from the 2026 edition of “Women, Business and the Law”, which describes written laws in force on 1 October 2025 (not their actual enforcement or uncodified customs).
- Women's legal equality: parental leave and pregnancyThis score from 0 to 100 looks at what the law provides around childbirth: paid maternity and paternity leave, coverage of benefits by the state and the prohibition of dismissing a pregnant worker. 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).
- Women's legal equality: entrepreneurshipThis score from 0 to 100 looks at whether the law allows women to start a business on the same terms as men, prohibits discrimination in access to credit, provides for gender-sensitive public procurement and sets a quota of women on boards of directors. 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).
- Women's legal equality: childcareThis score from 0 to 100 looks at whether the law organizes childcare services: nurseries, quality standards, support for families and for private providers. Data from the 2026 edition of “Women, Business and the Law”, which describes written laws in force on 1 October 2025 (not their actual enforcement or uncodified customs).
- Women's legal equality: marriageThis score from 0 to 100 looks at whether the law gives women the same rights as men in marriage: being head of household, not having to obey one's husband, divorcing and remarrying. Data from the 2026 edition of "Women, Business and the Law", which describes written laws in force on 1 October 2025 (not their actual enforcement or uncodified customs).
- Women's legal equality: mobilityThis score from 0 to 100 looks at whether the law allows women to choose where to live, to leave the marital home, to travel abroad and to pass on their nationality to their spouse and children, just like men. 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 application or uncodified customs).
- Women's legal equality: retirementThis score from 0 to 100 looks at whether the retirement age and the mandatory retirement age are the same for women and men, whether survivor's pensions are equal and whether periods spent caring for children count towards the pension. 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 application or uncodified customs).
- Women's legal equality: pay and occupationsThis score from 0 to 100 looks at whether the law requires equal pay for work of equal value and whether women can work in the same jobs as men (night work, jobs considered dangerous, economic sectors). Data from the 2026 edition of "Women, Business and the Law", which describes written laws in force on 1 October 2025 (not their actual enforcement or uncodified customs).