Afghanistan has been ranked last among 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025.
According to the report, Afghanistan has the widest gender gap globally with a score of just 40.5%, significantly below the global average where the gender gap has closed to 68.8%.
The situation for Afghan women has severely deteriorated since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
Strict restrictions on education, employment, and public presence have resulted in the lowest scores in economic participation (18%) and educational attainment (48%). The country also performs dismally in political empowerment metrics.
The report highlights that human rights violations, poverty, and food insecurity are widespread throughout Afghanistan, with women and girls bearing the brunt of bans on schooling, jobs, and public activities.
This stands in stark contrast to regional improvements, such as Bangladesh, which jumped 75 places in the rankings to become South Asia’s best performer in gender parity.
