Only Six Countries in the World Guarantee Equal Rights for Women and Men
World Bank research on gender equality in 187 countries shows that only six countries in the world have legally guaranteed equal rights for women and men. Germany ranks 31st, and Iran ranks among the lowest.
Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, and Luxembourg are the six countries that have legally guaranteed equal rights for women and men. In recent research by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which is part of the World Bank, it is stated that only these six European countries successfully received full approval ratings in this study.
The aforementioned research is titled “Women, Business and the Law 2019: A Decade of Reform.”
Kristalina Georgieva, Interim President of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, explained the data background in the introduction to this research report.
She emphasizes that this concerns economic decisions that women make during their working lives and how these decisions are affected by laws.
According to Georgieva, the data collected in the research shows, on one hand, that significant progress has been made on gender equality between women and men over the past decade. On the other hand, these data present a different picture of women’s situations, showing that many restrictive laws still prevent women from working or make it difficult for women to start companies.
Research by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development on the laws of 187 countries shows that many European countries’ laws have still not been able to legally guarantee gender equality in various social spheres. For example, Germany ranks 31st, after countries such as Peru, Hungary, and Paraguay.
35 Criteria for the Research
Researchers had 35 criteria for conducting their study. One of the criteria for this research was whether women, like men, can freely decide where to live. Another important criterion was whether laws against sexual harassment and abuse have been enacted in the workplace for women.
Another criterion that World Bank researchers had was whether women can divorce and remarry. Criteria such as opening bank accounts for women and equal retirement age for men and women were also addressed in this research.
The Situation of French Women Has Been Better
According to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development report, France has seen the greatest development in gender equality over the past 10 years.
In this country, laws such as “Domestic Violence Law,” “Law on Penalties for Sexual Harassment and Abuse in the Workplace,” and “Law on Parental Leave” have been implemented.
In World Bank research, Saudi Arabia ranks after the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, and Iran.
Source: DW
