The 2026 Global Gender Gap Index shows a 5.2% improvement over the last two decades, reaching 69.4%. Despite this progress, experts estimate it will take approximately 120 years to achieve full economic gender parity at the current rate. Currently, women worldwide possess less than two-thirds of the legal rights afforded to men.
World Bank data for 2026 identifies Spain as the leader in legal equality with 97.93 points, followed by Croatia, Slovenia, France, and Ireland. Russia ranks 85th out of 190 countries with 72.3 points. While Russia has formal laws, experts highlight a significant gap between legislation and actual implementation, particularly regarding wage equality and protection against violence.
Full economic inclusion of women could boost GDP by 20% in developed nations and up to 50% in regions with the highest current barriers. With 1.2 billion young people entering the labor market over the next decade, half of whom are women, addressing these gaps is critical for global economic growth.
In the Russian IT sector, the share of female applicants has risen to 38%. However, women occupy only 18.1% of roles in actual development teams and 28.2% in DevOps. Conversely, women account for 50% of IT entrepreneurs in Russia, according to the SME Corporation, suggesting a shift in barriers from entry to internal career advancement.
The persistent lack of legal frameworks for childcare in 44 countries and discriminatory lending practices in 91 nations present opportunities for fintech and digital service providers. Companies addressing these gaps through specialized platforms and alternative scoring models can tap into emerging market segments.
