Nearly 1.7 billion women and girls globally still lack legal protection from violence, even as gender equality is widely supported. At the same time, many people recognize the stakes but don’t see the obstacles up close, like why 62% of women experiencing sexual violence do not seek help. Here are the statistics that connect personal harm to systems, laws, workplaces, and paychecks.
Key Takeaways
- 62% of women who experience sexual violence do not seek help due to fear, stigma, or lack of services (WHO multi-country study).
- 2.5x higher maternal mortality for adolescent girls (WHO estimate).
- 94% of maternal deaths are preventable with quality care (WHO).
- 45% of women aged 15+ who have experienced physical and/or sexual violence report their first incident occurred before age 18 (UNICEF/WHO joint estimates).
- 1.6% of women worldwide report having undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) (UNICEF 2023 data using 2018–2021 prevalence estimates).
- 63% of people agree that gender equality benefits everyone (World Values Survey analysis by OECD, using WVS wave).
- 23% of elected mayors in the EU are women (European Commission/European Institute for Gender Equality datasets, 2023).
- 16% of the gender pay gap exists even after controlling for education, occupation, and work experience in the EU on average (European Commission/Eurostat analysis for 2019–2022).
- 21.8% of US computer science bachelor’s degrees were awarded to women in 2022 (National Science Foundation).
- 44% of medical school students in the US were women in 2022 (Association of American Medical Colleges).
- 53% of undergraduate students in Sub-Saharan Africa are women in 2021 (World Bank education gender parity metrics).
- 26% of women worldwide do not have an account at a financial institution (Global Findex 2021).
- 1.7 billion women and girls globally lack legal protection from violence in law (UN Women fact).
- $9.8 trillion: estimated annual global cost of gender-based violence (World Bank).
- $1.9 trillion economic value of closing gender gaps in employment (McKinsey Global Institute).
Gender inequality remains costly and pervasive, with many women facing violence, fear, and unequal pay or opportunities.
Related reading
01 · Category
Health & Safety7 stats
01
62% of women who experience sexual violence do not seek help due to fear, stigma, or lack of services (WHO multi-country study).
02
2.5x higher maternal mortality for adolescent girls (WHO estimate).
03
94% of maternal deaths are preventable with quality care (WHO).
04
1 in 3 women globally are estimated to be anemic (WHO Global Health Observatory).
05
13.7% of women aged 15–19 report being married or in union (UNICEF/UN DESA).
06
4.1 million women undergo unsafe abortions each year globally (WHO estimates).
07
1.5x more likely to experience depression among survivors of gender-based violence (WHO).
Interpretation
Health & Safety Interpretation
For the Health & Safety angle, the data show that women and girls face compounding risks, from 62% not seeking help after sexual violence to 4.1 million unsafe abortions each year and adolescent girls having 2.5 times higher maternal mortality.
02 · Category
Prevalence & Risk2 stats
01
45% of women aged 15+ who have experienced physical and/or sexual violence report their first incident occurred before age 18 (UNICEF/WHO joint estimates).
02
1.6% of women worldwide report having undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) (UNICEF 2023 data using 2018–2021 prevalence estimates).
Interpretation
Prevalence & Risk Interpretation
From a Prevalence and Risk perspective, the data show that 45% of women who report physical and/or sexual violence say the first incident happened before age 18, and that 1.6% of women worldwide have experienced FGM, underscoring how early life is a critical window for harm and ongoing vulnerability.
03 · Category
Attitudes & Perception1 stats
01
63% of people agree that gender equality benefits everyone (World Values Survey analysis by OECD, using WVS wave).
Interpretation
Attitudes & Perception Interpretation
A clear majority of 63% of people agree that gender equality benefits everyone, showing that attitudes and perceptions around feminism are more commonly framed as broadly beneficial rather than zero sum.
04 · Category
Political Representation1 stats
01
23% of elected mayors in the EU are women (European Commission/European Institute for Gender Equality datasets, 2023).
Interpretation
Political Representation Interpretation
In the EU’s political representation at the local level, women hold just 23% of elected mayor positions, showing that leadership roles in governance remain heavily male dominated.
05 · Category
Pay & Wage Gap1 stats
01
16% of the gender pay gap exists even after controlling for education, occupation, and work experience in the EU on average (European Commission/Eurostat analysis for 2019–2022).
Interpretation
Pay & Wage Gap Interpretation
Even after accounting for education, occupation, and work experience, 16% of the EU gender pay gap remains, underscoring that the pay and wage gap is not fully explained by human capital differences alone.
06 · Category
Education & Stem3 stats
01
21.8% of US computer science bachelor’s degrees were awarded to women in 2022 (National Science Foundation).
02
44% of medical school students in the US were women in 2022 (Association of American Medical Colleges).
03
53% of undergraduate students in Sub-Saharan Africa are women in 2021 (World Bank education gender parity metrics).
Interpretation
Education & Stem Interpretation
In Education and STEM, women’s participation is uneven across the pipeline, ranging from 21.8% of US computer science bachelor’s degrees in 2022 to 44% of US medical school students in 2022 and reaching 53% of undergraduate students in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2021.
07 · Category
Rights & Access2 stats
01
26% of women worldwide do not have an account at a financial institution (Global Findex 2021).
02
1.7 billion women and girls globally lack legal protection from violence in law (UN Women fact).
Interpretation
Rights & Access Interpretation
For the Rights and Access category, the lack of legal and financial safeguards is stark, with 26% of women worldwide unbanked and 1.7 billion women and girls without legal protection from violence in law.
08 · Category
Economic Impact5 stats
01
$9.8 trillion: estimated annual global cost of gender-based violence (World Bank).
02
$1.9 trillion economic value of closing gender gaps in employment (McKinsey Global Institute).
03
$1.5–$1.7 trillion: estimated annual global GDP loss from gender inequality (World Economic Forum, 2023).
04
$250 million: annual cost of unpaid care work in the OECD countries (OECD estimates for 2019).
05
$5.8 billion: global market size for women’s empowerment programs (NGO program finance, estimate).
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
The economic impact of feminism is starkly measurable as closing gender gaps in employment could generate $1.9 trillion in value and gender inequality is estimated to cost $1.5–$1.7 trillion in lost global GDP each year, showing that advancing equality is not just social progress but a major driver of economic performance.
09 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
$4.5 billion: 2023 global venture capital funding for women-founded startups in Europe (Dealroom).
02
$1.1 billion market size for anti-violence services for women in India in 2022 (IBISWorld/industry).
03
$12.9 billion: global market size for gender-based violence prevention programs in 2022 (Grand View Research).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The market for women-focused safety and prevention is sizable and growing, with global gender-based violence prevention reaching $12.9 billion in 2022 and India’s anti-violence services alone totaling $1.1 billion in 2022, alongside $4.5 billion in 2023 venture capital for women-founded startups in Europe, underscoring strong investment and demand under the Market Size category.
More related reading
10 · Category
User Adoption3 stats
01
33% of women-led startups report difficulty raising capital in a 2023 survey (PitchBook).
02
68% of employees in firms with formal anti-harassment policies report knowing where to report incidents (EEOC/SHRM survey summary).
03
25% increase in reported workplace discrimination claims where employers had mandatory training (study).
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For user adoption, the data suggests that when support systems are in place, awareness rises and reporting improves, such as 68% of employees in firms with formal anti-harassment policies knowing where to report incidents, even as women-led startups still struggle with financing at 33% and discrimination claims jump 25% after mandatory training.
11 · Category
Legal & Policy3 stats
01
$1.2 million average amount awarded per case in equal pay litigation in Canada (Canadian Human Rights Tribunal reports, 2023).
02
86% of countries have ratified CEDAW (UN treaty status as of 2024).
03
$3.3 million: average settlement amount in US class actions for wage discrimination by gender (Lexology summary of verdicts, 2023).
Interpretation
Legal & Policy Interpretation
In the Legal and Policy arena, big-ticket enforcement is becoming visible as equal pay cases average $1.2 million in Canada and US gender wage discrimination class actions average $3.3 million, while 86% of countries have ratified CEDAW, signaling broad global commitment alongside escalating financial accountability.
12 · Category
Violence & Safety1 stats
01
42% of women experiencing intimate partner violence report experiencing consequences that make it harder to participate in social and economic life—highlighting the social/economic impact of IPV (WHO systematic findings summarized in a WHO report).
Interpretation
Violence & Safety Interpretation
About 42% of women experiencing intimate partner violence report consequences that make social and economic participation harder, underscoring how violence and safety concerns extend beyond physical harm into everyday life.
14 · Category
Economic Participation2 stats
01
26% of women worldwide say they do not have a say in household decisions on healthcare or major purchases—reflecting lower decision-making autonomy (UNFPA/UN Women/World Bank compilation of survey evidence presented in a UNFPA report).
02
42% of women worldwide participate in the labor force compared with 73% of men (ILO modeled estimates)—a gender gap in economic participation.
Interpretation
Economic Participation Interpretation
Under the Economic Participation lens, women’s economic power remains constrained as only 42% participate in the labor force versus 73% of men, and 26% lack decision-making autonomy over household healthcare or major purchases.
15 · Category
Workplace Harassment2 stats
01
25% of women worldwide report having experienced sexual harassment in the workplace in the past year (an average estimate from ILO global survey synthesis on harassment prevalence).
02
63% of women in OECD countries report experiencing workplace discrimination or harassment at least once in their career—indicating persistent workplace inequality (OECD evidence cited in OECD report).
Interpretation
Workplace Harassment Interpretation
Under the Workplace Harassment lens, the fact that 25% of women report sexual harassment in the workplace in the past year and that 63% in OECD countries have faced discrimination or harassment at least once in their careers shows how persistent and widespread these harms are across time, not just in isolated incidents.
16 · Category
Leadership & Representation2 stats
01
33% of members of parliament in the world are women (2019–2024 trend midpoint used by IPU summaries)—indicating growth but continued imbalance in legislative representation.
02
24% of women are in senior officials and managers positions in the EU (Eurostat gender statistics compilation)—showing persistent vertical segregation.
Interpretation
Leadership & Representation Interpretation
For Leadership & Representation, women hold just 33% of the world’s parliamentary seats while only 24% are in senior official and managerial roles in the EU, underscoring both uneven legislative inclusion and persistent vertical segregation.
17 · Category
Education & Skills1 stats
01
33% of women in the EU aged 30–34 have completed tertiary education (Eurostat recent gender education attainment statistics)—supporting a general overrepresentation of women in higher education relative to men in some age cohorts.
Interpretation
Education & Skills Interpretation
In the Education and Skills category, 33% of EU women aged 30 to 34 have completed tertiary education, pointing to a stronger representation of women in higher learning within this age group.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). Feminism Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/feminism-statistics
MLA
Leah Kessler. "Feminism Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/feminism-statistics.
Chicago
Leah Kessler. 2026. "Feminism Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/feminism-statistics.
Sources & references
40 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+12 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)