Pakistan has climbed five places in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2026, moving from 148th to 143rd out of 145 economies. The improvement marks the country’s strongest year-on-year progress in a decade, according to Mishal Pakistan, a partner institute of the World Economic Forum.
Pakistan’s overall gender parity score rose by 2.8 percent, climbing from 56.7 percent in 2025 to 59.5 percent in 2026. While the country still ranks near the bottom of the index, it has narrowed its gender gap by 5.2 percent since 2006, when the score stood at just 54.3 percent.
The 2026 report examines gender disparities across four key areas: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. Pakistan improved its ranking in every category. The biggest gains came in Educational Attainment and Political Empowerment, where the country advanced 11 positions.
Educational Attainment delivered the strongest result. Pakistan achieved a record parity score of 91.7 percent and ranked 130th worldwide. This reflects better access to education for girls and women compared with previous years.
Economic Participation and Opportunity remains the weakest area and the main barrier to overall progress. Pakistan scored only 36.4 percent in this pillar, ranking 144th globally and last in South Asia. Although the economic score improved by 1.6 percent from 2025, it is still slightly lower than the level recorded in 2006.
The report shows that while Pakistan continues to face deep gender inequalities, steady gains in education and political representation are helping close the gap. Experts note that further progress will depend on stronger measures to increase women’s participation in the workforce and improve economic opportunities.
This latest ranking offers a measured sign of progress for Pakistan as it works to address long-standing gender disparities across society.
