Gender equality does not progress evenly across labor, safety, education, and leadership. In the European Union, the unadjusted gender pay gap averaged 12.7% in 2023. This article compiles country-level indicators on informal work, unemployment, part-time employment, workplace harassment reporting, intimate partner violence, and pay to show where progress stalls.
Key Takeaways
- 22.1% of employed women worldwide were in informal employment in 2023 (men: 23.4%)
- In 2023, the gender gap in unemployment rate in OECD countries was 1.1 percentage points (OECD)
- In 2021, women were 42% of the workforce in public administration and defense (ILO/ILO modelled estimate published by ILOSTAT)
- 77% of women reported they would be unwilling to report workplace sexual harassment if it occurred, in an OECD survey fielded during 2018–2019
- Across 140 countries, the proportion of women who have experienced intimate partner violence is 27% (WHO)
- As of 2024, 27 countries still have no laws criminalizing domestic violence against women (UN Women, global database summary)
- 20% of senior management roles are held by women in OECD countries (2019 baseline; women in senior roles)
- Women’s estimated share of executive officer positions was 8.5% globally in 2022 (S&P Global Market Intelligence)
- Gender pay gap in the European Union averaged 12.7% for 2023 (unadjusted)
- Women constitute 49% of the world’s population but account for 34% of agricultural landholders (FAO)
- Women and girls are 14.4% more likely than men to experience food insecurity at moderate severity in 2023 (FAO, gender-and-food-security analysis)
- Globally, 41.2% of women aged 20–24 were married or in union before age 18 in 2022 (UNICEF/UNFPA/UN Women estimates)
- Women made up 33% of the AI workforce in the US in 2022 (Stanford AI Index, based on surveys)
- In 2023, women were 40% of data scientist and analytics roles in OECD countries (McKinsey Global Gender Parity Initiative analysis based on survey)
- In 2023, women accounted for 31% of the venture-backed startup founders in the US (PitchBook annual founder data)
Progress on gender equality remains uneven, with major gaps in pay, leadership, violence reporting, and health outcomes.
Related reading
01 · Category
Labor Force4 stats
01
22.1% of employed women worldwide were in informal employment in 2023 (men: 23.4%)
02
In 2023, the gender gap in unemployment rate in OECD countries was 1.1 percentage points (OECD)
03
In 2021, women were 42% of the workforce in public administration and defense (ILO/ILO modelled estimate published by ILOSTAT)
04
In 2024, 47% of women in the OECD were in part-time employment vs 13% of men (OECD)
Interpretation
Labor Force Interpretation
In the labor force, women face a consistent imbalance with 47% working part time in the OECD compared with 13% of men in 2024, alongside a small unemployment-rate gender gap of 1.1 percentage points in 2023.
02 · Category
Workplace Safety1 stats
01
77% of women reported they would be unwilling to report workplace sexual harassment if it occurred, in an OECD survey fielded during 2018–2019
Interpretation
Workplace Safety Interpretation
In the workplace safety context, 77% of women said they would be unwilling to report workplace sexual harassment, signaling a major barrier to effective protection and accountability.
03 · Category
Governance And Rights2 stats
01
Across 140 countries, the proportion of women who have experienced intimate partner violence is 27% (WHO)
02
As of 2024, 27 countries still have no laws criminalizing domestic violence against women (UN Women, global database summary)
Interpretation
Governance And Rights Interpretation
Under the Governance And Rights lens, the fact that 27% of women across 140 countries report experiencing intimate partner violence alongside the reality that 27 countries still have no domestic violence laws shows that legal protections are not keeping pace with a widespread rights-related harm.
More related reading
04 · Category
Leadership And Pay5 stats
01
20% of senior management roles are held by women in OECD countries (2019 baseline; women in senior roles)
02
Women’s estimated share of executive officer positions was 8.5% globally in 2022 (S&P Global Market Intelligence)
03
Gender pay gap in the European Union averaged 12.7% for 2023 (unadjusted)
04
US gender pay gap: women earned 82 cents for every $1earned by men in 2023 (median weekly earnings, full-time workers)
05
The global gender gap score for health outcomes was 96% in 2024 (WEF)
Interpretation
Leadership And Pay Interpretation
Across OECD leadership and global pay measures, women remain markedly underrepresented and less paid, with only 20% of senior management roles in OECD countries held by women and the gender pay gap reaching 12.7% in the EU and 18 cents on the dollar in the US in 2023.
05 · Category
Education And Health5 stats
01
Women constitute 49% of the world’s population but account for 34% of agricultural landholders (FAO)
02
Women and girls are 14.4% more likely than men to experience food insecurity at moderate severity in 2023 (FAO, gender-and-food-security analysis)
03
Globally, 41.2% of women aged 20–24 were married or in union before age 18 in 2022 (UNICEF/UNFPA/UN Women estimates)
04
In 2023, 19.1 million girls and women needed humanitarian protection and services for gender-based violence (UNHCR)
05
The global gender gap in educational attainment for women and men was 9% in 2023 (World Bank Human Capital Index gender components as reported by World Bank)
Interpretation
Education And Health Interpretation
Despite representing 49% of the world’s population, women face major Education and Health challenges, including a 9% global gender gap in educational attainment in 2023 and 14.4% higher likelihood than men of experiencing moderate-severity food insecurity in 2023.
06 · Category
Industry And Tech5 stats
01
Women made up 33% of the AI workforce in the US in 2022 (Stanford AI Index, based on surveys)
02
In 2023, women were 40% of data scientist and analytics roles in OECD countries (McKinsey Global Gender Parity Initiative analysis based on survey)
03
In 2023, women accounted for 31% of the venture-backed startup founders in the US (PitchBook annual founder data)
04
Women held 28% of senior roles in the technology sector in a 2023 global survey by the World Economic Forum
05
In 2022, women were 45% of the workforce in healthcare and social assistance in OECD countries (OECD Employment database)
Interpretation
Industry And Tech Interpretation
Across Industry and Tech, women remain underrepresented, making up just 33% of the AI workforce in the US in 2022 while rising to 40% of data scientist and analytics roles in OECD countries in 2023 and reaching 28% of senior technology roles in a 2023 global survey by the World Economic Forum.
report visual · Key figures
Women’s representation across key work outcomes
Women are a minority in many employment and leadership positions, with notable gaps in informal work, unemployment, and senior roles.
22.1%
22.1% of employed women worldwide were in informal employment in 2023 (men: 23.4%)
2023
In 2023, the gender gap in unemployment rate in OECD countries was 1.1 percentage points (OECD)
20%
20% of senior management roles are held by women in OECD countries (2019 baseline; women in senior roles)
8.5%
Women’s estimated share of executive officer positions was 8.5% globally in 2022 (S&P Global Market Intelligence)
28%
Women held 28% of senior roles in the technology sector in a 2023 global survey by the World Economic Forum
45%
In 2022, women were 45% of the workforce in healthcare and social assistance in OECD countries (OECD Employment database
source-verifiedilostat.ilo.org · oecd.org · spglobal.com · weforum.org · stats.oecd.org2023
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). Gender Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-statistics
MLA
Leah Kessler. "Gender Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gender-statistics.
Chicago
Leah Kessler. 2026. "Gender Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-statistics.
Sources & references
22 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+5 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)