PH Reclaims Spot in Global Top 20,
Remains Asia’s Leader in Gender Equality
The Philippines has surged back into the top 20 globally, climbing five places to rank 20th out of 148 countries on the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2025 Global Gender Gap Report, released in June 2025. With an overall gender parity score of 78.1 percent—a 0.2-point improvement from 77.9 percent in 2024—the nation reasserts its leadership as Asia’s most gender‑equal country, and ranks third in the East Asia and the Pacific region, behind New Zealand and Australia.
“This renewed recognition of the Philippines as a global leader in gender equality is a testament to our collective efforts—across government, civil society, and communities—to push for more inclusive systems that empower Filipino women and girls,” said Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla. “But while we celebrate this milestone, we must also confront the persistent gaps that hinder full gender parity. The numbers call us to action—to innovate, invest, and lead with gender responsiveness at every level of governance and development.”
Strengths and Gains
- Economic participation and opportunity: The Philippines sustains roughly 80 percent parity in labor indicators; wage equality and estimated earned income pushed its sub‑index to 79 percent, the highest in Asia. These gains reflect ongoing efforts to increase women’s access to decent work, support female entrepreneurs, and push for equitable pay in both the public and private sectors.
Where More Work is Needed
Despite its achievements, the report also flags critical areas for improvement:
- Education: For the first time in years, the Philippines recorded a slight dip in educational parity. Boys’ net enrollment in primary school slightly surpassed that of girls, leading to a 1.2 percentage-point drop from previous year’s full parity.
- Health and Survival: Sex ratio at birth continues to raise concerns, with the female-to-male ratio falling from 0.944 in 2016 to 0.926 in 2025.
- Political Empowerment: The Philippines benefits from a legacy of female leadership—most notably the nearly 16 combined years under Presidents Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo—which contributes to a 46.2 percent score in the head-of-state indicator, the second highest in the region. Yet, female representation in ministerial roles has dropped to 21.1 percent, down from over 30 percent in both 2006–2007 and 2023. Representation in parliament also remains modest at 38.9 percent.
A Global Snapshot
The 2025 Global Gender Gap Report offers a sobering view: at the current pace, full parity remains 123 years away—a modest improvement from last year’s projection of 134 years, but still far from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Iceland retains its top rank for 16 successive years—having closed 92.6 percent of its gender gap and the only country above 90 percent parity
Moving Forward
The Philippines’ return to the global top 20 and its continued leadership in Asia underscore its potential to model inclusive and gender-responsive development. As the WEF stresses, achieving gender equality requires urgency, innovation, and shared responsibility. Embedding gender responsiveness in governance and development remains key—and the Philippines’ efforts will be crucial not only for national progress but for driving regional and global momentum toward true gender parity. To keep bouncing upward, we call on all sectors to turn commitments into concrete action—by closing gaps, challenging stereotypes, and creating systems where every woman and girl can thrive. The road to full equality is rough and lengthy, but with shared purpose and bold leadership, we can—and must—accelerate the pace.
Download the full report here.