They may pay among the world’s highest taxes, endure long winters and watch the sunset before 4 p.m., but Danish women still remain the envy of many in the world.
The Kingdom of Denmark is the best country for women, at least according to the more than 7,000 women who filled out surveys for the 2016 Best Countries rankings. The rankings, formed in partnership with brand strategy firm BAV Consulting and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, aim to gauge global perceptions of the world’s biggest economies in terms of specific attributes associated with countries.
The Best Countries for Women, including Sweden, Canada, the Netherlands and Australia, scored highest on a compilation of five country attributes: cares about human rights, gender equality, income equality, safe and progressive. Algeria and Pakistan — two countries criticized by human rights groups for their treatment of women — are perceived to be the worst countries for females.
Denmark is consistently among the globe’s happiest nations, according to the World Happiness Report. And one study found that retired Danish women are the most content in all of Europe.
Many experts suggest Denmark does well in such studies because of its generous welfare state. Education and health care are virtually free in Denmark. And the country promotes gender equality by offering an earnings-related day care system and a parental leave policy that is among the most flexible in the European Union, according to the organization’s website. Denmark is ranked fourth on Save the Children’s 16th annual Mothers’ Index, which assesses the well-being of mothers and children in 179 countries.
The Best 5 Countries for Women
No. 5: Australia
In recent years, more women have taken leadership roles in Australian universities, workplaces, boardrooms and in government, according to the Australian Human Rights Commission. At the same time, Australian women have to work an extra 66 days a year to earn the same pay as their male colleagues. Australia ranked No. 24 out of 142 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2014.
No. 4: Netherlands
The Netherlands ranks No. 14 out of 142 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2014, meaning it has done a relatively good job of narrowing the gender gap between women and men across health, education, economy and politics. The country provides benefits to new mothers, including giving them access to a maternity nurse, with part or all of the cost covered by insurance.
No. 3: Canada
Canada ranks No. 19 out of 142 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2014. The country’s government has made protecting women’s rights part of both its domestic and foreign policy. But the experience of being a woman in Canada is far from uniform. Indigenous women, for example, face significantly higher murder rates than most Canadian women.
No. 2: Sweden
Swedes have the most progressive attitudes toward gender equality, according to a report released by YouGov, a United Kingdom-based market research firm. Both men and women in the Nordic country tend to see women as an oppressed group — and leaders seem to have taken steps to address it. Sweden also fared well in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2014, ranking No. 4 out of 142 countries.
No. 1: Denmark
Denmark promotes gender equality by offering an earnings-related day care system and a parental leave policy that is among the most flexible in the European Union, according to the organization’s website. Denmark ranked No. 5 out of 142 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2014. The report looks at the relative gaps between women and men across health, education, economy and politics.
Want to Know More?
Click to see the full list of Best Countries for Women, or visit the U.S. News Best Countries homepage to find news and more rankings. The 2016 Best Countries report and rankings were formed in partnership with brand strategy firm BAV Consulting and The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.
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Nordic Nations Among the Best Countries for Women, Survey Finds originally appeared on usnews.com