Gender Gap Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Gender Gap Statistics

Gender inequality costs an estimated 11% of global GDP and women still trail men in pay, with a $135 weekly earnings gap in the US. You will see how these disadvantages stack across work, safety, and opportunity, from unpaid care and STEM representation to financial access and partner violence, where the risk can be 2.8 times higher.

29 statistics29 sources12 sections8 min readUpdated today

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

11% of global GDP is lost due to gender inequality, per estimates referenced in the 2023 World Economic Forum gender report

Statistic 2

In OECD countries, women spend 2.4x more time than men on unpaid care work (OECD 2023 gender equality indicators)

Statistic 3

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

Statistic 4

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

Statistic 5

Women held 49.6% of total employment in the EU-27 in 2023 (Eurostat employment by sex)

Statistic 6

Female unemployment rate was 6.0% and male unemployment rate 6.1% in the EU-27 in 2023 (Eurostat harmonized unemployment rate by sex)

Statistic 7

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

Statistic 8

47% of women worldwide report experiencing gender-based violence at least once in their lifetime (WHO 2021 global estimate)

Statistic 9

31% of women in the U.S. report experiencing stalking (lifetime prevalence), per the 2023 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) report.

Statistic 10

Women received 61% of undergraduate degrees in 2019 in the U.S. (NCES), indicating educational attainment parity with varying persistence into labor force

Statistic 11

In 2022, women earned 58% of bachelor’s degrees in the U.S., per NCES Education Digest

Statistic 12

In the WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2023, the estimated time to close the overall gap is 131 years (2023 projection)

Statistic 13

The WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2024 ranks gender inequality as largest in economic participation with the lowest parity score among subindices

Statistic 14

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)

Statistic 15

Women represent 29% of engineering professionals in the U.S. labor force (U.S. BLS/NSF-reported STEM workforce breakdown, 2022)

Statistic 16

Women account for 36% of data scientists worldwide in 2023 Stack Overflow Developer Survey gender breakdown

Statistic 17

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).

Statistic 18

63.2% of women were in employment in the EU-27 in 2023, according to Eurostat employment by sex (employment rate).

Statistic 19

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.

Statistic 20

20.8% of women in the EU-27 reported working part-time in 2023, according to Eurostat part-time employment by sex.

Statistic 21

41% of working mothers report difficulty balancing work and family responsibilities, per an OECD 2023 report on work-life balance and gender equality.

Statistic 22

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.

Statistic 23

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.

Statistic 24

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.

Statistic 25

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).

Statistic 26

58% of women who have experienced intimate partner violence report not seeking help, per UNICEF Innocenti research summarized in 2022.

Statistic 27

43% of men worldwide have a bank account compared with 35% of women worldwide (global gap), per the World Bank Global Findex 2021.

Statistic 28

0.77 women-to-men ratio in median income in selected countries (latest comparable household survey estimates summarized in World Inequality Database 2024 release).

Statistic 29

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.

Sources
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Henrik Dahl

Written by Henrik Dahl·Edited by Catherine Wu·Fact-checked by Jonathan Hale

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 12, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Gender inequality still drains more than just opportunity. Estimates referenced in the 2023 World Economic Forum gender report suggest it costs about 11% of global GDP and the gap is slow to close, with the WEF Global Gender Gap Report projecting 131 years to reach overall parity. As you go through the figures, you will see sharp contrasts across pay, care work, violence, and financial access that help explain why progress so often stalls.

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.

Economic Impact

111% of global GDP is lost due to gender inequality, per estimates referenced in the 2023 World Economic Forum gender report[1]
Verified
2In OECD countries, women spend 2.4x more time than men on unpaid care work (OECD 2023 gender equality indicators)[2]
Verified

Economic Impact Interpretation

For the economic impact of gender inequality, estimates suggest 11% of global GDP is lost and in OECD countries women spend 2.4 times more time on unpaid care work, showing how gender gaps drain productivity both at the global and household levels.

Pay And Earnings

1In 2023, the median weekly earnings for women were $1,001 compared with $1,136 for men in the U.S., a gap of $135[3]
Verified

Pay And Earnings Interpretation

In 2023, women’s median weekly earnings were $1,001 versus $1,136 for men, meaning the pay and earnings gap was $135, underscoring a persistent difference in how much women earn relative to men.

Workforce Participation

1Women 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[4]
Single source
2Women held 49.6% of total employment in the EU-27 in 2023 (Eurostat employment by sex)[5]
Verified
3Female unemployment rate was 6.0% and male unemployment rate 6.1% in the EU-27 in 2023 (Eurostat harmonized unemployment rate by sex)[6]
Verified
4In 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[7]
Directional

Workforce Participation Interpretation

For workforce participation, women make up 49.6% of EU employment in 2023 but remain less represented in leadership, and the overall gender gap shows up clearly as female unemployment at 6.0% versus 6.1% for men, while in the US a 12.6 percentage point labor force participation gap persists alongside men’s 69.6% participation rate.

Workplace Safety

147% of women worldwide report experiencing gender-based violence at least once in their lifetime (WHO 2021 global estimate)[8]
Single source
231% of women in the U.S. report experiencing stalking (lifetime prevalence), per the 2023 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) report.[9]
Single source

Workplace Safety Interpretation

Under the Workplace Safety lens, the data show that gender-based violence is not rare, with 47% of women worldwide reporting it at least once in their lifetime, and in the U.S. 31% reporting stalking, underscoring how widespread threats to safety remain across contexts.

Education To Employment

1Women received 61% of undergraduate degrees in 2019 in the U.S. (NCES), indicating educational attainment parity with varying persistence into labor force[10]
Directional
2In 2022, women earned 58% of bachelor’s degrees in the U.S., per NCES Education Digest[11]
Verified

Education To Employment Interpretation

In the Education to Employment pathway in the U.S., women earned 61% of undergraduate degrees in 2019 and 58% of bachelor’s degrees in 2022, showing that they hold a majority of credentials though the share dips slightly as education advances toward employment.

Policy And Indices

1In the WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2023, the estimated time to close the overall gap is 131 years (2023 projection)[12]
Verified
2The WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2024 ranks gender inequality as largest in economic participation with the lowest parity score among subindices[13]
Verified

Policy And Indices Interpretation

From a Policy and Indices perspective, the WEF 2023 estimate of 131 years to close the overall gender gap signals how entrenched the problem remains, while the WEF 2024 finding that economic participation has the lowest parity score shows the slowest-moving area where policy and measurement must prioritize action.

Stem Representation

1In 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)[14]
Verified
2Women represent 29% of engineering professionals in the U.S. labor force (U.S. BLS/NSF-reported STEM workforce breakdown, 2022)[15]
Single source
3Women account for 36% of data scientists worldwide in 2023 Stack Overflow Developer Survey gender breakdown[16]
Single source

Stem Representation Interpretation

Across STEM representation, women remain a clear minority in the pipeline and the workforce with only 35% of computer science STEM degrees and just 29% of engineering professionals, even though they are closer to parity among data scientists at 36%, suggesting progress is uneven across STEM fields.

Labor Market

154% 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).[17]
Verified
263.2% of women were in employment in the EU-27 in 2023, according to Eurostat employment by sex (employment rate).[18]
Single source
35.3% 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.[19]
Verified
420.8% of women in the EU-27 reported working part-time in 2023, according to Eurostat part-time employment by sex.[20]
Verified
541% of working mothers report difficulty balancing work and family responsibilities, per an OECD 2023 report on work-life balance and gender equality.[21]
Verified

Labor Market Interpretation

In Europe’s labor market, women are more likely to face barriers and uneven work patterns, with 54% reporting gender-based discrimination at work and only 63.2% employed overall, alongside high part-time exposure where 20.8% work part-time and 5.3% are stuck in involuntary part-time.

Leadership Representation

139% 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.[22]
Directional

Leadership Representation Interpretation

In the leadership representation context, Deloitte’s 2023 survey shows that 39% of women in leadership-development pipelines reported bias that hindered their career progression, underscoring how barriers persist even before promotion.

Education & Skills

143% 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.[23]
Verified

Education & Skills Interpretation

In the Education and Skills landscape, 43% of women in U.S. STEM roles say they are underpaid compared with their peers, showing that even where skills are advanced and education is strong, pay equity gaps remain a serious issue.

Health & Safety

12.8 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.[24]
Verified
262% 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).[25]
Verified
358% of women who have experienced intimate partner violence report not seeking help, per UNICEF Innocenti research summarized in 2022.[26]
Single source

Health & Safety Interpretation

Health and safety outcomes for women are starkly worse, with women facing a 2.8 times higher risk of intimate partner homicide when they report partner violence exposure, and with 62% experiencing depression or anxiety compared with 38% of men, while 58% of women who have experienced intimate partner violence still do not seek help.

Gender Income & Wealth

143% of men worldwide have a bank account compared with 35% of women worldwide (global gap), per the World Bank Global Findex 2021.[27]
Directional
20.77 women-to-men ratio in median income in selected countries (latest comparable household survey estimates summarized in World Inequality Database 2024 release).[28]
Verified
329% 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.[29]
Verified

Gender Income & Wealth Interpretation

Under the Gender Income and Wealth lens, women consistently lag behind men, with only 35% having a bank account versus 43% of men worldwide and a median income women to men ratio of just 0.77, while 29% of women also say they have less access to financial products.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

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Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Gender Gap Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-gap-statistics
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Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Gender Gap Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-gap-statistics.

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