Photo: Damien du Toit · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 08 of 18 · Country Index 2026
South Africa: Gender & Equality
How wide is the gap between women's and men's lives?
South Africa is placed 40th of 183 countries on gender & equality in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Women, Business and the Law 88.13 (2025); Women's Political Empowerment Index 0.83 (2025).
Share
Gender & Equality
40th
of 183 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 88.13Women, Business and the Law, 2025WBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity)
- 0.83Women's Political Empowerment Index, 2025Women's political empowerment index (0–1)
- 38.51Firms with a Female Top Manager, 2025Firms with a female top manager (%)
- 23Social Institutions and Gender Index, 2023SIGI score (0 = no discrimination, 100 = absolute)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place South Africa on gender & equality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
88.13
WBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity)
Higher is better
South Africa: 88.13. Across the 190 countries in this edition, values run from 3.125 (Afghanistan) to 100 (Sweden); the world median is 81.25.
- World median
- 81.25
- Best in Southern Africa
- 90 Lesotho
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 66.88 · Lesotho 90 · Mozambique 79.38 · Namibia 83.13 · Eswatini 46.25 · Zimbabwe 86.88
Key 2 of 4
Women's Political Empowerment Index
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
0.83
Women's political empowerment index (0–1)
Higher is better
South Africa: 0.83. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from 0.028 (Afghanistan) to 0.954 (Denmark); the world median is 0.772.
- World median
- 0.772
- Best in Southern Africa
- 0.855 Namibia
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 0.699 · Lesotho 0.809 · Mozambique 0.725 · Namibia 0.855 · Eswatini 0.391 · Zimbabwe 0.727
Key 3 of 4
Firms with a Female Top Manager
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2016–2025 · South Africa’s is from 2020 · CC BY 4.0
38.51
Firms with a female top manager (%)
Higher is better
South Africa: 38.51. Across the 179 countries at their latest reading, values run from 1.429 (Qatar) to 62.9 (Kiribati); the world median is 19.16.
- World median
- 19.16
- Best in Southern Africa
- 38.51 South Africa
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 22.97 · Lesotho 30.04 · Mozambique 21.32 · Namibia 27.53 · Eswatini 33.95 · Zimbabwe 17.77
Key 4 of 4
Social Institutions and Gender Index
OECD
2023 edition · data for 2023 · OECD Terms and Conditions — data clause
23
SIGI score (0 = no discrimination, 100 = absolute)
Lower is better
South Africa: 23. Across the 140 countries in this edition, values run from 6.7 (Norway) to 67.4 (Mauritania); the world median is 25.2.
- World median
- 25.2
- Best in Southern Africa
- 23 South Africa
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 31.5 · Lesotho 32.8 · Mozambique 20.7 · Namibia 27.6 · Zimbabwe 19.3
02Over time
Which way South Africa is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Women, Business and the Law
WBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity) · higher is better
South AfricaWorld median
South Africa rose from 78.75 in 2000 to 88.13 in 2025; the world median went from 63.13 to 81.25.
Every year’s figures
Year South Africa World median 2025 88 81.3 2023 88 81.3 2022 88 80.3 2021 88 80.0 2020 88 79.7 2019 88 78.8 2018 88 77.5 2017 88 77.5 2016 88 76.9 2015 88 75.9 2014 88 75.6 2013 82 75.0 2012 82 73.8 2011 79 73.1 2010 79 73.1 2009 79 72.5 2008 79 71.3 2007 79 69.7 2006 79 68.8 2005 79 67.2 2004 79 66.9 2003 79 64.7 2002 79 63.8 2001 79 63.8 2000 79 63.1 Women's Political Empowerment Index
Women's political empowerment index (0–1) · higher is better
South AfricaWorld median
South Africa fell from 0.876 in 2000 to 0.83 in 2025; the world median went from 0.681 to 0.772.
Every year’s figures
Year South Africa World median 2025 0.830 0.7715 2024 0.839 0.7745 2023 0.827 0.7755 2022 0.831 0.7825 2021 0.835 0.7785 2020 0.825 0.7755 2019 0.848 0.7665 2018 0.858 0.7715 2017 0.860 0.7710 2016 0.858 0.7780 2015 0.858 0.7755 2014 0.860 0.7795 2013 0.861 0.7730 2012 0.897 0.7740 2011 0.897 0.7650 2010 0.894 0.7610 2009 0.890 0.7515 2008 0.882 0.7505 2007 0.884 0.7380 2006 0.882 0.7290 2005 0.884 0.7350 2004 0.879 0.7205 2003 0.876 0.7160 2002 0.877 0.7150 2001 0.877 0.6950 2000 0.876 0.6810
03In context
South Africa beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 183 countries on gender & equality, never a place within the region.
South Africa and the countries it borders
Standing among all 183; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Women, Business and the LawWBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity) | Women's Political Empowerment IndexWomen's political empowerment index (0–1) | Firms with a Female Top ManagerFirms with a female top manager (%) | Social Institutions and Gender IndexSIGI score (0 = no discrimination, 100 = absolute) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 40th | 88.13 | 0.83 | 38.51 | 23 |
 Lesotho | =62nd | 90 | 0.809 | 30.04 | 32.8 |
 Namibia | 66th | 83.13 | 0.855 | 27.53 | 27.6 |
 Zimbabwe | 86th | 86.88 | 0.727 | 17.77 | 19.3 |
 Mozambique | =97th | 79.38 | 0.725 | 21.32 | 20.7 |
 Botswana | 121st | 66.88 | 0.699 | 22.97 | 31.5 |
 Eswatini | 135th | 46.25 | 0.391 | 33.95 | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Southern Africa
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 183.
- South Africa40th
- Lesotho=62nd
- Namibia66th
- Botswana121st
- Eswatini135th
Placed either side on gender & equality
The countries immediately above and below South Africa in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where South Africa is ahead of the world, and behind
24 more statistics filed under gender & equality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median10
Statistics on which South Africa does better than the middle country measured.
Gender Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.9710.9960.971▲ Improved since 2013
South Africa: 0.996 · world median 0.971 · Gender Development Index (1.000 = parity). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.407 to 1.038; higher is better.
Position 12th of 184 · derived.
Child MarriageUNICEF · 2025 · world median 17.13.617.1No earlier reading
South Africa: 3.6 · world median 17.1 · Women 20–24 married before 18 (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 76.3; lower is better.
Position 126th of 143 · derived, 1st = worst.
Global Gender Parity IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women · 2022 · world median 0.7260.8230.726No earlier reading
South Africa: 0.823 · world median 0.726 · Global Gender Parity Index (women's achievements relative to men's; 1 = parity). UNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women, 2023 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0.141 to 0.925; higher is better.
Women Who Think a Husband Is Justified in Hitting or Beating His WifeUNICEF · 2025 · world median 22.45.522.4No earlier reading
South Africa: 5.5 · world median 22.4 · Women aged 15-49 who say a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.2 to 80.2; lower is better.
Position 103rd of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2582.171.25No real change since 2013
South Africa: 82.1 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 37th of 196 · derived.
Length of Paid Maternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 9812098▼ Worsened since 2015
South Africa: 120 · world median 98 · Paid maternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 410; higher is better.
Length of Paid Paternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 3103No real change since 2015
South Africa: 10 · world median 3 · Paid paternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 196; higher is better.
Female Share of Senior and Middle ManagementILO · 2024 · world median 35.8639.2735.86▲ Improved since 2014
South Africa: 39.27 · world median 35.86 · Women in senior and middle management (% of managers). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.226 to 56.69; higher is better.
Position 26th of 86 · derived.
Women's Empowerment IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women · 2022 · world median 0.6150.680.615No earlier reading
South Africa: 0.68 · world median 0.615 · Women's Empowerment Index (0–1; higher = more empowerment). UNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women, 2023 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0.141 to 0.828; higher is better.
Account Ownership Among WomenWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 71.2480.9971.24▼ Worsened since 2014
South Africa: 80.99 · world median 71.24 · Women with an account (% of women aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 11.91 to 99.85; higher is better.
Position 55th of 139 · derived.
Behind the world median8
Statistics on which South Africa does worse than the middle country measured.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.995.996.9No earlier reading
South Africa: 95.9 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.3880.351▲ Improved since 2013
South Africa: 0.388 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 95th of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four VisitsUNICEF · 2025 · world median 8175.581No earlier reading
South Africa: 75.5 · world median 81 · Women with a live birth who had 4+ antenatal visits (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 22.6 to 100; higher is better.
Position 93rd of 153 · derived.
Female Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 53.3649.8853.36▲ Improved since 2015
South Africa: 49.88 · world median 53.36 · Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 4.663 to 82.91; higher is better.
Position 118th of 182 · derived.
Gender Social Norms IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 91.8197.3991.81No earlier reading
South Africa: 97.39 · world median 91.81 · People with at least one bias against gender equality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 27.39 to 99.92; lower is better.
Position 30th of 91 · derived, 1st = worst.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.65117.5746.65▲ Improved since 2013
South Africa: 117.57 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 62nd of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.4651.5627.46No real change since 2013
South Africa: 51.56 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 69th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Firms with Female Participation in OwnershipWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 35.1210.6235.12No earlier reading
South Africa: 10.62 · world median 35.12 · Firms with at least one woman among the owners (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 1.273 to 86.78; higher is better.
Position 168th of 181 · derived.
No better end6
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Female Share of STEM GraduatesUIS · 2023 · world median 35.349.1735.3Moved since 2014
South Africa: 49.17 · world median 35.3 · STEM graduates who are women (%; 50 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.333 to 55.96.
Female-Headed HouseholdsUN DESA Population Division · 2026 · world median 33.2149.5533.21No earlier reading
South Africa: 49.55 · world median 33.21 · Households headed by a woman (% of households). UN DESA Population Division, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 5.33 to 64.59.
Mean Age at First Marriage, WomenUN DESA Population Division · 2019 · world median 24.6529.524.65No earlier reading
South Africa: 29.5 · world median 24.65 · Singulate mean age at marriage, women (years). UN DESA Population Division, 2019 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 17 to 34.
Female Share of ResearchersUIS · 2024 · world median 38.1747.6138.17No earlier reading
South Africa: 47.61 · world median 38.17 · Researchers who are women (% of headcount; 50 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 76.54.
Caesarean Section RateUNICEF · 2025 · world median 20.6526.220.65No earlier reading
South Africa: 26.2 · world median 20.65 · Live births delivered by caesarean section (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 72.2.
Sex Ratio at BirthUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 105.1104105.1Moved since 2013
South Africa: 104 · world median 105.1 · Male births per 100 female births. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 101.1 to 116.3.
No current reading for South Africa
Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff (last 2016), Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2023), Legal Guarantees of Women's Equal Rights to Land and Women's Share of Agricultural Landowners. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Gender & Equality among South Africa’s 15 topics
Gender & Equality is South Africa’s best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Gender & Equality40th of 1834/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade39th of 1774/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 54th of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technology61st of 1984/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties65th of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 72nd of 1774/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 77th of 1844/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 102nd of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation101st of 1764/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital116th of 1963/3 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 134th of 1824/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 148th of 2004/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience152nd of 1934/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality145th of 1593/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainability172nd of 1864/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on gender & equality
The three countries placed highest of 183, and the leaders South Africa can most readily be measured against.
1
LatviaNorthern Europe
1st of 183 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Marcin Szala · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
TaiwanEastern Asia
2nd of 183 · 3 of 4 keys
Photo: xiangyang17 · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
3
ItalySouthern Europe
3rd of 183 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Francisco Antunes · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Africa
Cabo Verde=34th3/4 keysHighest in Southern Africa
South Africa40th4/4 keys
Positions out of 183 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
South Africa on gender & equality: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does South Africa rank on gender & equality?
South Africa is placed 40th of 183 countries on Gender & Equality in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Women, Business and the Law, Women's Political Empowerment Index, Firms with a Female Top Manager and Social Institutions and Gender Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Women, Business and the Law figure for South Africa?
88.13 in 2025 (wBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 81.25.
What is the latest Women's Political Empowerment Index figure for South Africa?
0.83 in 2025 (women's political empowerment index (0–1)), according to V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. The world median in the same edition was 0.772.
How does South Africa compare with Mozambique on gender & equality?
Mozambique is placed joint 97th of 183, and South Africa 40th. Women, Business and the Law: Mozambique 79.38, South Africa 88.13; Women's Political Empowerment Index: Mozambique 0.725, South Africa 0.83; Firms with a Female Top Manager: Mozambique 21.32, South Africa 38.51; Social Institutions and Gender Index: Mozambique 20.7, South Africa 23.
How have South Africa’s gender & equality figures changed?
Women, Business and the Law rose from 78.75 in 2000 to 88.13 in 2025; Women's Political Empowerment Index fell from 0.876 in 2000 to 0.83 in 2025.
Which gender & equality statistics are missing for South Africa?
No current reading is published for South Africa on Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, Legal Guarantees of Women's Equal Rights to Land and Women's Share of Agricultural Landowners. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Violence against women is not a key here, because comparable data covers too few countries. The Gender Inequality Index is published here as context rather than as a key: its reading is driven largely by maternal and adolescent health, which moves with a country’s overall development and is already measured under Development and Health. Women’s labour force participation, women in management and child marriage are published here as context too.
How the Gender & Equality standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The gender & equality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Women, Business and the Law — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Women's Political Empowerment Index — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Firms with a Female Top Manager — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Social Institutions and Gender Index — OECD, OECD Terms and Conditions — data clause
The other 24 statistics on this page come from 8 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
South Africa’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- South Africa (banner) — Damien du Toit, CC BY 2.0
- Latvia — Marcin Szala, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Taiwan — xiangyang17, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Italy — Francisco Antunes, CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). South Africa: Gender & Equality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/south-africa/gender