It’s kind of crazy to think about, but basic civil rights for a lot of Americans have only happened in the last century. Women didn’t have the right to vote until 1920, and since then it’s been a slow but steady fight to progress the rights and equality of both sexes. There are still disparities in everyday situations between men and women; women are still paid less and are passed over for jobs, not to mention the continued social and cultural antagonism. But there is good being done. Women have voices now, and have been given the chance to choose and decide for themselves, providing for both themselves and their overall communities. Laws and organizations are in place to check inequality, and real effort is being made to bridge the gender divide. But where do we stand as Americans? Are we world leaders in civil rights and the basic liberties of women?
The answer is no. In fact, the United States is not even close to being considered the leading edge of gender equality. The World Economic Forum has recently completed analyzing and compiling a report, studying statistics from nations all around the world, based on the economies, education, and politics of these countries and how a big a part women have in them. The report, started in 2006, tracked the progress of countries worldwide to see just how much is being done to lessen gender inequalities and promote opportunities for women. And the results aren’t too comforting. Of the 110 countries that were included in the report, few have had any real growth in bringing about gender equality. While disheartening, this does not mean no progress has been made; it’s just that the progress is coming about slower in some places than in others.
But where does America fit on the report? The truth is, we’re not in the top five. We’ve not even in the top twenty. The United States ranks twenty-third on Global Gender Gap Index 2013, being beaten by the top ten countries in ascending order: Nicaragua, Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland, the Philippines, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and for the fifth year in a row, Iceland. The report focuses on economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. These statistics, put together, are what the World Economic Forum determines to be the best indicators of a county’s progression of decreasing the gender gap. America, by contrast, is sixth in economic participation, thirty-third in health and survival, and sixtieth in political empowerment.
These numbers do not bode well for the state of gender quality in America. It’s clear that while the efforts being made are something to be grateful for, they still do not measure up to other nations. If America is to be a world leader and foster respect and strength from other countries, there needs to be a reinvigorating towards the betterment of progress for women and the equality of both genders. Only by utilizing both men and women can a nation truly be successful.