Gender inequality costs the global economy an estimated 11% of its GDP. The overall gap is projected to take 131 years to close.
Key Takeaways
- 11% of global GDP is lost due to gender inequality, per estimates referenced in the 2023 World Economic Forum gender report
- In OECD countries, women spend 2.4x more time than men on unpaid care work (OECD 2023 gender equality indicators)
- In 2023, the median weekly earnings for women were $1,001 compared with $1,136 for men in the U.S., a gap of $135
- Women are 25% less likely than men to be employed in managerial roles in some OECD economies, per OECD labor gender gap analyses summarized in 2023
- Women held 49.6% of total employment in the EU-27 in 2023 (Eurostat employment by sex)
- Female unemployment rate was 6.0% and male unemployment rate 6.1% in the EU-27 in 2023 (Eurostat harmonized unemployment rate by sex)
- 47% of women worldwide report experiencing gender-based violence at least once in their lifetime (WHO 2021 global estimate)
- 31% of women in the U.S. report experiencing stalking (lifetime prevalence), per the 2023 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) report.
- Women received 61% of undergraduate degrees in 2019 in the U.S. (NCES), indicating educational attainment parity with varying persistence into labor force
- In 2022, women earned 58% of bachelor’s degrees in the U.S., per NCES Education Digest
- In the WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2023, the estimated time to close the overall gap is 131 years (2023 projection)
- The WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2024 ranks gender inequality as largest in economic participation with the lowest parity score among subindices
- In the U.S., women’s share of STEM degrees is 35% for computer science and 44% for biological sciences (NCES/NSF compilation for recent years)
- Women represent 29% of engineering professionals in the U.S. labor force (U.S. BLS/NSF-reported STEM workforce breakdown, 2022)
- Women account for 36% of data scientists worldwide in 2023 Stack Overflow Developer Survey gender breakdown
Gender inequality costs the world 11 percent of GDP and still takes 131 years to close.
Related reading
01 · Category
Economic Impact2 stats
01
11% of global GDP is lost due to gender inequality, per estimates referenced in the 2023 World Economic Forum gender report
02
In OECD countries, women spend 2.4x more time than men on unpaid care work (OECD 2023 gender equality indicators)
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
From an Economic Impact perspective, gender inequality costs the world about 11% of GDP and, in OECD countries, women spend 2.4 times more time on unpaid care work than men, showing how unequal burdens directly translate into lost economic value.
02 · Category
Pay And Earnings1 stats
01
In 2023, the median weekly earnings for women were $1,001compared with $1,136 for men in the U.S., a gap of $135
Interpretation
Pay And Earnings Interpretation
In 2023, women’s median weekly earnings were $1,001 versus $1,136 for men, meaning the pay gap under Pay And Earnings remained $135, underscoring a persistent difference in earnings.
03 · Category
Workforce Participation4 stats
01
Women are 25% less likely than men to be employed in managerial roles in some OECD economies, per OECD labor gender gap analyses summarized in 2023
02
Women held 49.6% of total employment in the EU-27 in 2023 (Eurostat employment by sex)
03
Female unemployment rate was 6.0% and male unemployment rate 6.1% in the EU-27 in 2023 (Eurostat harmonized unemployment rate by sex)
04
In the U.S., men’s labor force participation rate was 69.6% in 2023 (BLS/CPS), creating a participation gap of 12.6 percentage points
Interpretation
Workforce Participation Interpretation
Across workforce participation, women remain slightly underrepresented in key roles and labor market access, with EU-27 employment at 49.6% for women in 2023 and an unemployment gap that favors women at 6.0% versus 6.1% while men in the US show a much higher labor force participation rate at 69.6%, leaving a 12.6 percentage point participation gap.
04 · Category
Workplace Safety2 stats
01
47% of women worldwide report experiencing gender-based violence at least once in their lifetime (WHO 2021 global estimate)
02
31% of women in the U.S. report experiencing stalking (lifetime prevalence), per the 2023 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) report.
Interpretation
Workplace Safety Interpretation
In terms of workplace safety, the data show that gender-based violence is widespread, with 47% of women worldwide reporting it at least once in their lifetime and 31% in the U.S. reporting stalking, underscoring how common these threats are beyond just isolated incidents.
05 · Category
Education To Employment2 stats
01
Women received 61% of undergraduate degrees in 2019 in the U.S. (NCES), indicating educational attainment parity with varying persistence into labor force
02
In 2022, women earned 58% of bachelor’s degrees in the U.S., per NCES Education Digest
Interpretation
Education To Employment Interpretation
In the Education to Employment pathway, women’s share of bachelor’s and undergraduate degrees is fairly close to parity at 58 to 61% in the U.S. in 2019 and 2022, suggesting that the pipeline into employment is being supported by broadly balanced degree attainment.
06 · Category
Policy And Indices2 stats
01
In the WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2023, the estimated time to close the overall gap is 131 years (2023 projection)
02
The WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2024 ranks gender inequality as largest in economic participation with the lowest parity score among subindices
Interpretation
Policy And Indices Interpretation
From the Policy and Indices perspective, the WEF’s 2023 projection of 131 years to close the overall gender gap underscores how persistent systemic inequality remains, while the 2024 report’s finding that economic participation has the lowest parity score signals where policy progress is most urgently lagging.
More related reading
07 · Category
Stem Representation3 stats
01
In the U.S., women’s share of STEM degrees is 35% for computer science and 44% for biological sciences (NCES/NSF compilation for recent years)
02
Women represent 29% of engineering professionals in the U.S. labor force (U.S. BLS/NSF-reported STEM workforce breakdown, 2022)
03
Women account for 36% of data scientists worldwide in 2023 Stack Overflow Developer Survey gender breakdown
Interpretation
Stem Representation Interpretation
Across STEM, women are still underrepresented in key fields, making up 29% of U.S. engineering professionals and 35% of computer science degree recipients, even though they reach 44% in biological sciences and make up 36% of worldwide data scientists in 2023.
08 · Category
Labor Market5 stats
01
54% of women (across OECD and partner countries) report experiencing discrimination at work because of their gender, per the OECD’s 2023 analysis of gender disparities and discrimination (published in OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers).
02
63.2% of women were in employment in the EU-27 in 2023, according to Eurostat employment by sex (employment rate).
03
5.3% of women in the EU-27 reported being in a situation of involuntary part-time work in 2023, per Eurostat involuntary part-time work by sex.
04
20.8% of women in the EU-27 reported working part-time in 2023, according to Eurostat part-time employment by sex.
05
41% of working mothers report difficulty balancing work and family responsibilities, per an OECD 2023 report on work-life balance and gender equality.
Interpretation
Labor Market Interpretation
In the labor market, women face both unequal opportunities and persistent job insecurity, with 54% reporting gender-based discrimination at work and 20.8% working part time while 5.3% are in involuntary part-time employment in the EU, and even among working mothers 41% struggle to balance work and family responsibilities.
09 · Category
Leadership Representation1 stats
01
39% of women participating in leadership-development pipelines reported experiencing bias that affected career progression (U.S. survey), per Deloitte’s 2023 Human Capital Trends survey.
Interpretation
Leadership Representation Interpretation
In the leadership representation pipeline, 39% of women reported experiencing bias that hindered their career progression, underscoring that barriers to leadership are already active before top roles are reached.
10 · Category
Education & Skills1 stats
01
43% of women in STEM roles in the U.S. report being underpaid relative to their peers (survey), per the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2023 report findings on pay and equity.
Interpretation
Education & Skills Interpretation
In the Education and Skills context, 43% of women working in STEM roles in the U.S. report being underpaid compared with their peers, highlighting a significant compensation gap within a field built on education and skill advancement.
11 · Category
Health & Safety3 stats
01
2.8 times higher risk of intimate partner homicide for women reporting partner violence exposure, per a peer-reviewed meta-analysis published in 2022 in The Lancet Public Health.
02
62% of women experience depression or anxiety symptoms compared with 38% of men in a global synthesis of mental health by sex (systematic review, 2021–2022 timeframe).
03
58% of women who have experienced intimate partner violence report not seeking help, per UNICEF Innocenti research summarized in 2022.
Interpretation
Health & Safety Interpretation
In Health and Safety terms, women face markedly greater risk, with 2.8 times higher risk of intimate partner homicide when exposed to partner violence and 58% of those experiencing intimate partner violence not seeking help, while mental health burdens are also higher with depression or anxiety symptoms reported by 62% of women versus 38% of men.
12 · Category
Gender Income & Wealth3 stats
01
43% of men worldwide have a bank account compared with 35% of women worldwide (global gap), per the World Bank Global Findex 2021.
02
0.77 women-to-men ratio in median income in selected countries (latest comparable household survey estimates summarized in World Inequality Database 2024 release).
03
29% of women report having less access to financial products than men (global survey), per OECD/INFE 2023 International Survey data in the Global Financial Literacy dataset.
Interpretation
Gender Income & Wealth Interpretation
In the Gender Income and Wealth space, women still lag behind men in access and earning power, with a 35% share of women worldwide having a bank account versus 43% of men and a 0.77 women to men ratio in median income, while 29% of women report having less access to financial products.
report visual · Breakdown
Key Gender Gaps Across Work and Pay
Women face measurable gaps in time use, employment patterns, and earnings compared with men across multiple datasets.
61%
Women received 61% of undergraduate degrees in 2019 in the U.S. (NCES), indicating educational attainment parity with va
39%
39% of women participating in leadership-development pipelines reported experiencing bias that affected career progressi
source-verifiednces.ed.gov · www2.deloitte.com2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Gender Gap Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-gap-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Gender Gap Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gender-gap-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Gender Gap Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-gap-statistics.
Sources & references
29 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)