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Women's legal equality: pay and occupations
What this indicator measures
This 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).
How to read this?
The closer the score is to 100, the fewer differences the law provides between women and men on these points.
Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest
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186countries with data
100 /100maximum · Albania
75 /100median
0 /100minimum · Afghanistan
2025data year(s)
In brief
The "Women's legal equality: pay and occupations" ranking covers 186 countries and territories. Lowest value: Afghanistan (0 /100). Highest value: Albania (100 /100). Median: 75 /100 (data: 2025). The top 10% of countries exceed 100 /100, while the bottom 10% stay below 50 /100. By continent, the median is highest in Europe (100 /100) and lowest in North America (75 /100).
Median by continent
- Europe 100 /100 (40)
- South America 84.4 /100 (12)
- Asia 75 /100 (45)
- Oceania 75 /100 (12)
- Africa 75 /100 (51)
- North America 75 /100 (23)
Why this indicator matters
Equal pay and access to the same occupations depend partly on the law. This score compares countries on these rules, which directly affect women's income.
What makes this indicator vary
These rules come from labor laws that are sometimes old, equality-at-work reforms, international standards and traditions about jobs considered dangerous. They change through successive reforms.
Reading precautions
The World Bank score describes written laws, not their enforcement or actual pay gaps. It runs from 0 to 100 and is based on a few criteria. Uncodified customs are not taken into account.
Full ranking
ranked from highest to lowest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇦🇱 Albania | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇦🇺 Australia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇦🇹 Austria | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇦 Canada | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇩🇪 Germany | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇪🇸 Spain | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇫🇮 Finland | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇫🇷 France | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇬🇷 Greece | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇬🇩 Grenada | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇮🇹 Italy | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇱🇨 St. Lucia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇳🇴 Norway | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇵🇪 Peru | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇵🇱 Poland | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇷🇴 Romania | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇹🇬 Togo | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 1er | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 100 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 93.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 93.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇲🇹 Malta | 93.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 93.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 93.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 87.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 84e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 81.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 84e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 81.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 84e | 🇮🇱 Israel | 81.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇧🇳 Brunei | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇫🇲 Micronesia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇵🇼 Palau | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇸🇲 San Marino | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇺🇸 United States | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 75 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 68.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇯🇵 Japan | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 62.5 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇨🇳 China | 56.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇩🇲 Dominica | 56.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 56.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis | 56.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 56.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 56.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 56.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 56.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines | 56.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇧🇿 Belize | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 50 /100 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 43.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 43.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 43.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇮🇳 India | 43.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 43.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 43.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 43.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 43.8 /100 | 2025 |
| 181e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 31.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 182e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 25 /100 | 2025 |
| 182e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 25 /100 | 2025 |
| 182e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 25 /100 | 2025 |
| 185e | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 6.3 /100 | 2025 |
| 186e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 0 /100 | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Women's legal equality: pay and occupations"?
The highest value is in Albania, at 100 /100 (2025).
Which country has the lowest value for "Women's legal equality: pay and occupations"?
The lowest value is in Afghanistan, at 0 /100 (2025).
What is the world median value of "Women's legal equality: pay and occupations"?
The world median is 75 /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: pay and occupations" for France?
France scores 100 /100 (2025), ranking 1 out of 186 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).
Where does the "Women's legal equality: pay and occupations" 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?
The score runs from zero to one hundred. The closer it is to one hundred, the fewer differences the law provides between women and men on pay and access to occupations.
Does this score measure the actual pay gap?
No. It measures what the law says: equal pay for work of equal value and access to the same occupations. The salaries actually paid may differ.
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: overall indexThis 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).
- 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).