China
Vietnam
Armenia
Azerbaijan
India
19.5
100%
0
Developed
Economies
East Asia
and the Pacific
Latin America
and the
Caribbean
South
Asia
Middle East
and North Africa
Central and Sub-Saharan Africa
Eastern Europe
and Central Asia
Male response
Ye s N o
Yemen Pakistan
Iraq
Libya Bangladesh
Afghanistan
Canada
Turkmenistan
Estonia
Indonesia
Haiti
Uruguay
Niger
Rwanda
1.05
1.0
1.10
1.15
One country
United
States
Global
average
United
States
Norway
1.08 Global
average
Developed
Economies
East Asia and
the Pacific
Latin America and
the Caribbean
South Asia
Middle East and
North Africa
Sub-Saharan
Africa
Central and Eastern
Europe and Central Asia
Saudi Arabia Morocco
Iran Bhutan
Sudan Cabo Verde
Worst possible
One country
Best
Global
average
Singapore United Kingdom
United
States
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Malaysia Philippines
Haiti Mexico
Uzbekistan
Natural
rate of
male to
female
births
One male
born for
every
female
Highest
male bias
115 males
born per
100 females
Discriminatory norms
Nearly 75 percent of men in Pakistan believe it’s unacceptable
for women to have a paid job. Disapproval exceeds 50 percent
in Bangladesh, Yemen, Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan.
Son bias
Prenatal sex determina-
tion and selective abor-
tion can result in more
boys born than girls.
Legal discrimination
Ninety percent of the world’s countries have one or more laws
that discriminate against women. In the past two years, however,
118 countries took steps to reduce legal discrimination.
Discriminatory gender-based laws and societal prejudice can
make it hard for women to own property, open bank accounts,
find employment, start businesses, and otherwise participate
in society. Even in nations that have laws to protect women,
what’s on the books may differ widely from what’s enforced.
“ Is it perfectly acceptable for any woman in your family
to have a paid job outside the home if she wants one?”
PURSUING EQUALITY
BALANCING THE
SCALES OF JUSTICE
WOMEN’S WELL-BEING AROUND THE WORLD 81