Pakistan ranked as second-worst country in Gender gap index

For the second consecutive year, Pakistan has been ranked as the second-worst country in the world for gender inequality.

As per the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2016, released on Tuesday, Pakistan is ranked 143 out of 144 countries in the gender inequality index, way behind Bangladesh and India which have been ranked 72nd and 87th respectively, reports the Dawn.

The report also mentions Pakistan as the worst performing state in South Asia and has been for the last couple of years, whereas Sri Lanka has been ranked 100th, Nepal 110th, Maldives 115th and Bhutan 121st.

Yemen(144) is the only country ranked below Pakistan, whereas Syria is one place ahead at 142.

Pakistan was ranked 112th in 2006 when the report came for the first time.

Since then, its position has been deteriorating every year it was ranked 135th in 2013, 141st in 2014 and 143rd in 2015.

The report captures progress towards parity between men and women in four areas: educational attainment, health and survival, economic opportunity and political empowerment.

The report in its latest edition finds that the progress towards equality in the economic pillar has slowed dramatically with the gap - which stands at 59pc - now larger than at any point since 2008.

Iceland retained its top spot for the 8th successive year followed by Finland at second and Norway at the third place.

Several developing and emerging markets have also made it into the top 20, but the United States ranks 45.

According to the report, Pakistan is making progress on closing the secondary education enrolment gender gap, and on women's estimated earned income, however this is partly offset by reversals on wage equality and female-to-male literacy ratio.

Pakistan has moved up one rank from 125 last year to 124 this year on the Health and Survival pillar. However, it has been ranked 90th as compared to 87th the previous year on Political Empowerment.