PH rises to 16th worldwide, remains the most gender-equal country in Asia

The Philippines remains in its position as the leading Asian country in closing the gender gap, according to the recently released 2023 Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) Report by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The Philippines has achieved 79.1 percent gender parity and is ranked 16th out of 146 countries globally, climbing three notches from its previous standing. Among its neighboring countries, the Philippines remains the second-best in East Asia and the Pacific region, surpassed only by New Zealand. Furthermore, it stands out as the only Asian country within the top twenty tiers, with Singapore following closely at the 49th position.

The Global Gender Gap Index measures the current state and progress of gender parity across four key dimensions, namely: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Political Empowerment, and Health and Survival. Since its establishment in 2006, overall parity has advanced by 4.1 percentage points toward achieving gender equality.

Status of the Philippines by GGI subindex

Together with New Zealand and Australia, the Philippines is leading the improvement of the political empowerment subindex in the East Asia and Pacific region. Notably, it has made a remarkable recovery from last year’s report by having 26% of women currently serving as cabinet members. However, the WEF noted that “the gender gap has widened in the share of parliamentarians who are women by 37.6%, consequently diminishing overall parity on this subindex (40.9%) by 0.7 percentage points since 2018.” While the increased representation of women in the cabinet is a positive development, the disparity in the share of female parliamentarians is a significant area of concern. The widening gender gap in parliamentary representation signals a need for greater efforts to address barriers and biases that hinder women’s participation in politics. By taking measures to encourage and empower women to engage in political leadership roles, the Philippines can contribute to bridging this gap and further advancing gender equality in the political arena.

The report also shows that the Philippines experienced a slight decline in the economic participation and opportunity subindex, moving from the 16th to the 17th position with a score of 0.789 compared to the previous score of 0.794. Despite being among the top three countries in the East Asia and Pacific region that registered the highest parity in this subindex by maintaining full parity in senior officers and technical workers, the WEF highlighted a significant gender pay gap, with women earning only 71.6% of men’s income.

Significant improvements were observed in the educational attainment area since last year’s report showed a slight shift in both the score and rank. According to the report, the Philippines has nearly achieved full parity in this subindex, reaching an impressive 99.9 percent, and has advanced from the 46th to the 32nd position.

However, the overall standing for this year was affected by the health and survival subindex. The Philippines, which had been steadily approaching parity since 2006, experienced a setback in this area due to a decline in the sex ratio at birth. As a result, the score dropped from 0.979 to 0.968 in this year’s report.

PCW’s commitment to striving more

The Philippine Commission on Women shared this development with all government agencies, non-government and civil society organizations, academe, and various stakeholders who have remained steadfast in supporting the advocacies and programs in reducing gender disparities.

“We welcome this remarkable achievement and extend our appreciation to all those who have relentlessly worked towards ensuring equal access to opportunities and resources for every Filipino, regardless of their sex or gender identity,” PCW Executive Director, Atty. Kristine Rosary E. Yuzon-Chaves stated.

While this report reflects that gender disparities are narrowing, it is important to recognize that it represents only a partial recovery toward the main goal. PCW reiterates that further actions are necessary to address the remaining gaps. It also expresses its hopes that this ranking will later translate into the passing of more policies that will effectively uphold the human rights of all individuals, particularly those of women and girls. Continued efforts and commitment are essential to achieve true gender equality and ensure the well-being and empowerment of all.

“We have made significant strides and achieved notable progress in our ongoing pursuit of gender equality, consistently ranking number one in Asia. However, it is crucial to recognize that there are still numerous gaps that demand our attention and action. Complacency has no place in our efforts. PCW remains steadfast in its commitment to further strengthen policies that promote equal rights and opportunities for all. We urge everyone to intensify their efforts to mainstream gender in all initiatives so that no woman will be left behind until we reach full gender parity,” she added.

PCW looks forward to a steady increase in women’s political participation and representation, along with the assurance of equal and equitable treatment for women and girls in their pursuit of education, prioritization of women’s health, and expansion of women’s economic opportunities as outlined in the Magna Carta of Women (MCW).

Progress toward full gender parity

Despite progress in gender equality, no nation has yet achieved full gender parity. The result of the Global Gender Gap Report 2023 highlighted that gender parity will only be attained for another 131 years. This sobering reality underscores the urgent need for renewed and concerted action, as emphasized by Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

“If progress towards gender parity proceeds at the same average speed observed between the 2006 and 2023 editions, the overall global gender gap is projected to close in 131 years, compared to a projection of 132 years in 2022. This suggests that the year in which the gender gap is expected to close remains 2154, as progress is moving at the same rate as last year,” the report stated.

Key findings in the report show that only nine countries have closed at least 80 percent of their gaps, and Iceland remains the most gender-equal country worldwide by having closed 91.2 percent of its gap, followed by Norway (0.879), Finland (0.863), New Zealand (0.856), and Sweden (0.815).

Full report may be downloaded here.