World's Best Countries for Women in 2025-26 Revealed
In a global landscape where gender equality remains an uneven pursuit, a distinguished group of nations continues to exemplify what genuine inclusion, justice, and security for women truly entail. The comprehensive 2025-26 Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Index, meticulously compiled and published by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, provides a detailed evaluation of women's well-being across 13 critical indicators. These indicators are strategically organized into three fundamental dimensions: inclusion (encompassing economic, social, and political participation), justice (focusing on legal protections and the absence of discrimination), and security (assessing personal safety and freedom from conflict or violence). The latest rankings once again underscore the commanding dominance of Nordic and Western European countries, setting a global benchmark for gender parity.
Denmark: The Global Leader
Denmark proudly secures the top position worldwide. The nation's excellence is rooted in its robust welfare systems, extensive parental leave policies, and affordable childcare solutions, which collectively foster high female labor force participation and stellar inclusion scores. Legal equality is deeply embedded within its governance frameworks, while remarkably low levels of violence and elevated social trust contribute to outstanding security metrics. A well-balanced approach to work-life integration stands as a pivotal factor in Denmark's leadership role on the global stage.
Iceland: A Beacon of Gender Equality
Iceland maintains its status as one of the most gender-equal countries globally. The nation's historic equal pay certification law, which mandates businesses to demonstrate pay equity, significantly enhances its justice metrics. Women are prominently represented in politics and leadership roles, supported by a culture that wholeheartedly embraces equality. Coupled with high levels of safety and inclusive governance, Iceland persistently ranks among the world's best environments for women.
Norway and Sweden: Shared Strengths
Norway and Sweden jointly occupy the third position, reflecting nearly identical strengths across all three pillars. Norway implements gender quotas in corporate boardrooms, offers universal childcare, and maintains comprehensive social security networks. High women's workforce participation and low crime rates bolster its security scores. Sweden is renowned for its progressive equality agenda, robust anti-discrimination legislation, and excellent reproductive health services. Generous parental leave policies and significant political representation further solidify its strong inclusion performance.
Finland: Upholding Nordic Excellence
Finland continues the Nordic tradition with highly educated women, substantial parliamentary representation, and secure public spaces. Its advanced social welfare systems and unwavering commitment to equality in leadership positions ensure high scores in both justice and inclusion dimensions.
Other Top Performers
The rankings also highlight several other nations excelling in women's well-being:
- Luxembourg leads in economic inclusion and legal empowerment, supported by high income levels, strong labor laws, and an exceptional healthcare system.
- Belgium is a frontrunner in anti-discrimination and gender equality legislation, with active female representation in public and political life bolstered by effective social welfare systems.
- The Netherlands excels in flexible working conditions and work-life balance culture, featuring high female participation rates, part-time work flexibility, and robust childcare support.
- Austria and New Zealand share the eighth position. Austria benefits from strong labor laws, accessible healthcare, and good equality legislation, though leadership parity remains a challenge. New Zealand stands out in the Asia-Pacific region for its history of female political leadership and inclusive governance, enhanced by strong legal protections and personal safety.
- Australia and Estonia jointly rank ninth. Australia performs well in economic participation and institutional protection, despite ongoing challenges with pay gaps and domestic violence. Estonia's strong educational attainment among women and digitally driven economy positively impact its inclusion and justice scores.
- Ireland completes the top ten, with social changes and economic developments improving women's equality under the law and in the workforce, leading to advances in justice metrics.
The 2025-26 WPS Index serves as a critical tool for policymakers and advocates worldwide, highlighting the pathways to achieving greater gender equality. It emphasizes that sustained progress requires integrated efforts across inclusion, justice, and security, with the top-ranked nations providing actionable blueprints for global improvement.
