Glass-Ceiling Index

March 10, 2025

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 each year. To celebrate the occasion, The Economist published its yearly glass-ceiling index, which looks at how well women are treated at work in 29 countries that are part of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

What is OECD?

It is a group of 38 countries that follow democracy and support free-market economies.
It was founded on December 14, 1960, by 18 European nations, along with the U.S. and Canada.
Headquartered in Paris, it helps in making policies that promote economic growth, equality, and well-being.
India is not a member, but works closely with OECD on economic matters.

What Does OECD Do?

Publishes economic reports, data, and forecasts.
Fights bribery and financial crimes globally.
Maintains a blacklist of tax havens (countries not following fair tax rules)

Basis of Ranking

The Glass-Ceiling Index evaluates working conditions for women across 29 OECD nations. It uses a ten-point criteria system:

How many women complete higher education
How many women take the GMAT exam (used for business school)
The percentage of women working
The difference in pay between men and women
The number of women in management roles
The number of women on company boards
The number of women in government
The cost of child care after subsidies
How much paid leave mothers get
How much paid leave fathers get

Top 10 Countries for Working Women

Sweden (Rank 1)
Iceland (Rank 2) (Previously No. 1 for two years)
Finland
Norway
Portugal
New Zealand
France
Spain
Denmark
Australia

Key Insights from the Ranking

Sweden replaced Iceland as No. 1, but both countries are leaders in gender equality at work.
Iceland lost the top position mainly due to a drop in women in management (from 39.6% to 36.8%).
Iceland remains a global leader in gender equality, having:
- The first female president in the world (Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, 1980).
- One of the lowest gender gaps globally.
The U.S. ranks lower than these countries, highlighting gaps in gender equality at work.

Economic Participation

The economic landscape for women is improving. Women’s participation in the labour force rose to 66.6%. This marks an increase from 65.8% the previous year. However, this figure remains lower than men’s participation at 81%. The presence of women on corporate boards increased to 33%. This indicates a positive trend in leadership roles for women.

Political Participation

In 2024, women’s political representation saw a notable increase. The OECD reported an average of 34% representation in parliaments. Countries like Japan and Britain made strides. Japan’s representation rose to 16%, while Britain reached 41%. However, the United States experienced a decline to 28.7%.

Changes in Rankings

South Korea made leap from the bottom of the rankings to 28th place. This marked its first improvement in 11 years. Turkey now holds the lowest ranking. Japan, Turkey, and South Korea struggle with deep-rooted societal norms. These norms contribute to the under-representation of women in leadership roles. All three countries show low numbers of women in management, parliamentary roles, and corporate boards.

Current Challenges

Despite advancements, challenges remain. Women in Japan, Turkey, and South Korea face barriers. These barriers include a persistent wage gap and cultural expectations. The representation of women in leadership roles is still low in these nations.

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