Archive · 29 Jul 2026
Denmark Tops Global Ranking for Women's Safety and Equality
The latest rankings show that Denmark is the best country in the world for women's safety and equality.
Other Nordic countries like Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland also rank very high.
These countries do well because they have good schools, jobs for women, strong laws, and less violence against women.
However, no country is perfect.
In contrast, countries with a lot of conflict and instability, like Afghanistan and Yemen, rank very low.
Women in these places face more danger, have fewer rights, and less access to healthcare and jobs.
The ranking also shows that when a country is stable and has good rules, women generally do better.
Denmark ranks No. 1 globally for women's safety and equality.
All five Nordic countries are in the top five of the WPS Index.
Nordic nations lead due to strong public institutions, social welfare systems, and lower levels of violence against women.
Conflict-hit countries like Afghanistan and Yemen rank lowest due to instability and humanitarian crises.
More than 70% of women in the 12 lowest-ranked countries live within 50 kilometers of armed conflict.
- Who
- Women globally
- What
- Ranking of countries based on women's safety and equality
- When
- Latest rankings
- Where
- Globally, with a focus on Nordic countries and conflict-hit regions
- Why
- To highlight the gap between countries providing stronger protections and opportunities for women and those facing challenges due to conflict, political instability, and humanitarian crises
Nordic Countries
Conflict-Hit Countries
Gender Equality and Wellbeing
Nordic Countries
Nordic countries lead in gender equality due to strong public institutions, social welfare systems, and lower levels of violence against women.
Conflict-Hit Countries
Conflict-hit countries struggle with women's safety, access to justice, and economic opportunities due to prolonged conflict and instability.
- Top-Ranked Country
- Denmark
- Lowest-Ranked Country
- Afghanistan
- Number of Nordic Countries in Top 5
- 5
- Percentage of Women in Lowest-Ranked Countries Near Conflict
- 70%
- Key Factors Measured
- Healthcare access, economic participation, legal rights, political representation, personal security