Gender equality is 120 years away & Dutch progress is going backwards

Global progress towards gender equality has stalled, leaving full parity an estimated 120 years away, according to a recent report. While the Netherlands is often celebrated as a progressive haven of equality and freedom, persistent economic bottlenecks and a shrinking female presence in the cabinet have pushed the country down three places to 46th globally.

Europe leads, but glass ceilings endure

Global progress towards closing the gender gap has virtually stalled, according to the 20th edition of the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2026. Across the 145 economies surveyed, the global gender gap stands at 69,2 percent closed, representing a slight improvement of just 0,4 percentage points compared to last year.

At this rate of advancement, achieving complete equality between men and women worldwide will take another 120 years.

Europe has reclaimed its status as the leading region globally, having closed 75,7 percent of its overall gender gap. Iceland remains at the top of the global ranking for the 17th consecutive year, standing as the only nation to have closed more than 90 percent of its gap, at 93,0 percent.

Despite regional gains, systemic bottlenecks persist in career progression. Data compiled in partnership with LinkedIn reveals a sharp "drop to the top" in corporate leadership: while women account for 46,0 percent of entry-level roles worldwide, their representation drops by half to 23,0 percent at C-suite level.

Netherlands slips to 46th place in global ranking

The Netherlands has fallen three places to rank 46th out of 145 countries in this year's index, achieving an overall parity score of 75,0 percent. This marks a steep downturn for the country, which held 28th position for three consecutive years through 2024 with a score of 77,7 percent in 2023, before dropping 15 places to 43rd place last year and falling further to 46th this year.

The result leaves the Netherlands trailing significantly behind its northern European neighbours. While Germany secured 9th place with 81,7 percent parity and the United Kingdom reached 5th place with 84,2 percent, the Netherlands now falls below the European regional average of 75,7 percent.

Part-time work trap & cabinet shift drag down Dutch score

The country's sharpest setback lies in economic participation, where the Netherlands ranks a distant 77th globally. While 64,0 percent of women have paid employment compared to 73,0 percent of men, female workers remain disproportionately concentrated in part-time roles, often driven by high childcare costs and career breaks following childbirth.

These structural hurdles continue to hinder long-term career progression, leaving women holding just 30,0 percent of managerial positions.

In political empowerment, the Netherlands occupies 38th place globally, sitting just below Mozambique and Guyana. Although women maintain a solid presence in parliament, their representation in the national cabinet has declined, and the country has never elected a female prime minister.

"I thought we reached rock bottom last year," Henk Volberda, professor of strategy and innovation at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), told NOS, noting that national progress has completely stalled.

Call for Scandinavian-style policy reforms in the Netherlands

Volberda, who collected the Dutch data for the report, noted that national policy on gender equality has stagnated. "At present, nobody in the government feels responsible for this topic," Volberda said, pointing out that oversight falls under the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science despite the educational gender gap already being closed.

To reverse the slide, Volberda urged policymakers to take inspiration from Scandinavian nations. "They are clearly leading the way when it comes to provisions for parents to combine work and family, childcare and parental leave," Volberda told RTL Nieuws. He also advocated for a dedicated Ministry of Women's Affairs, extended paid partner leave, and norm-setting gender quotas for executive leadership.