Netherlands slips again in global gender equality ranking

The Netherlands has slipped from 43rd to 46th place in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index, marking its third consecutive decline. According to the University of Amsterdam, the country has only closed 75% of its gender gap, a 0.6% drop from 2022. While there are no longer gaps in education and health, the economic score has improved slightly.

However, progress in politics remains stagnant, as women's representation in parliament and ministerial positions has not advanced. Professor Henk Volberda, who led the research, attributes the slowdown to the lack of governmental accountability for this issue, which falls under the education ministry. He advocates for implementing quotas, free childcare, and longer maternity leave to boost gender equality.

Iceland remains the top-ranked country, followed by Finland, Norway, Namibia, and the UK. Germany stands at ninth place. The Netherlands held a top 15 ranking almost continuously between 2006 and 2016.