International Working Women Ranking

For the second year in a row, Japan ranked third worst place among developed nations for working women, in the 2024 international ranking by the British magazine The Economist. This ranking is based on the glass-ceiling index, which measures the role and influence of women in the workforce. The index measures factors such as labor force participation, parental leave, political representation, and salaries.

Japan ranked 27th place out of 29, followed by South Korea and Turkey. According to the annual survey, Sweden was in the top spot, followed by Iceland, Finland, and Norway. These countries ranked highly because of gender neutral policies and working parent support. New Zealand was the “most improved country”, rising eight places to fifth, tied with France and Portugal. Britain and Canada tied at 14th, with the US ranking 19th. 

South Korea and Japan of rank near the bottom in the annual survey because of the challenges women in these countries face with balancing family and career. The US is noted for not offering paid parental leave, which negatively impacts its ranking. 

What do you think about the roles of working women in your country? Do you agree with the results of this survey?