The methodology used by the World Bank to compile this report ranks the world’s economies according to a basic criterion, which is the legal framework index, which measures the laws that have been officially adopted, that is, what is written on paper.
Even in economies that have modernized their laws, women still face restrictions that affect the work they can do, the businesses they can start, and the security they need to seize opportunities, shows the latest edition of the World Bank’s (WB) Women, Business and the Law 2026 report. The report provides the latest global assessment of how laws, policies, and practices shape women’s economic opportunities across 10 topics related to their working lives: security, mobility, work, pay, marriage, parenthood, childcare, entrepreneurship, property, and retirement.
Based on data as of October 1, 2025, this publication covers 190 economies. The findings confirm the strong link between legal equality and women’s economic empowerment, but also show that laws alone are not enough to ensure equal opportunities for women in practice. For the first time, this report assesses not only the degree of equality in laws “on paper” across the world’s economies, but also the extent to which these laws are implemented. The research shows that there is a shockingly large gap between what is written and what is implemented.
On average, economies score 67 out of 100 on the report’s index, which measures laws that support women’s economic equality. But when it comes to enforcing those laws, the average index score is 53. And when the systems needed to enforce those rights are assessed for adequacy, the average index score is just 47.
The methodology used by the World Bank to compile this report ranks the world’s economies according to a basic criterion, which is the legal framework index, which measures the laws that have been officially adopted, that is, what is written on paper. In addition, it presents the situation according to two other indices – one that measures the existence of the institutions, policies and mechanisms necessary to implement the laws, and the other that measures the opinions of experts on how well these laws are implemented in real life. Together, these three indices make up the new World Bank methodology, which shows the gap between what is written in law and what women actually experience in practice.
Macedonia is ranked 42nd on the list, followed by Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey. It was rated 83.53 points out of a maximum of 100 on the legal framework index, while on the other two indices it recorded a much weaker score of below 60 points. Croatia is the highest-ranked country in the Region, coming in second, just behind first-place Spain, while Slovenia is in third place and Montenegro is in 39th place. France, Italy, Ireland, Australia, Greece, Lithuania and Belgium also made the top ten economies.
Even where gender equality laws exist, women often lack the institutional support needed to exercise their rights under those laws. Courts, regulatory bodies, and administrative systems may be too weak, under-resourced, or too fragmented for legal protection to be meaningful. The implications go beyond justice. At a time when global growth is sluggish and demographic pressures are intensifying, leaving women on the economic margins is not only unfair but also unwise. A growing body of research shows that when women work, lead, and innovate, economies become more productive, companies perform better, and societies become more resilient.
Gender inclusion strengthens labor markets, increases productivity, and fosters economic dynamism. In short, expanding women’s economic participation is not just a social aspiration, but an economic imperative. In some parts of the world, such as South Asia, this may be the best strategy for boosting economic growth potential, the report says.
Yet the Regions that need women’s contributions most – the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa – continue to retain some of the most restrictive legal barriers to women’s full economic participation. These are also the Regions where young populations are expanding the fastest. Without urgent reforms, millions of young women will remain excluded from the labor market at the very time when their economies need their talents most. The opportunity cost of inaction is staggering. Several barriers persistently block women’s full participation in economic life. Security remains fundamental. Women cannot work or travel freely, nor can they fully participate in public life, when protections against violence are weak or poorly enforced. Childcare is another obstacle. In low-income countries, only one percent of the necessary frameworks to support childcare are in place. Without safe and affordable childcare, mothers face impossible compromises: reducing work hours, declining opportunities, or abandoning the job market altogether.
Meanwhile, entrepreneurship should be a path to economic independence and innovation, but women still face significant barriers in accessing credit, markets and exercising economic rights. While the legal opportunity to start a business is almost universal, only about half of the world’s economies guarantee equal access to finance. Without capital, women-led businesses cannot grow, innovate or fully contribute to economic development. Despite these challenges, progress is real and in some countries is even accelerating. Between October 2023 and October 2025, 68 economies adopted 113 reforms to expand women’s economic opportunities. Governments strengthened protections against violence, expanded parental leave, raised childcare standards, guaranteed equal pay and lifted restrictions on women’s employment.
Countries such as Egypt, Jordan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Oman, and Somalia have taken significant steps toward repealing discriminatory laws. These reforms demonstrate that change is possible when political will is matched by economic necessity. But overall, progress remains uneven and regrettably slow.
If policymakers are serious about unlocking growth, they must quickly complete pending legislative reforms and eliminate discriminatory provisions that remain in laws.
They must also enforce these laws and regulations so that the rights granted by law are translated into protections and opportunities in everyday life. And perhaps most importantly, they must strengthen the institutional arrangements – justice systems, regulatory bodies and childcare services – that enable women to fully realize their rights. The path to stronger, more resilient and more inclusive economies runs directly through gender equality. No economy can afford to leave half of its potential untapped. And no young woman who wants to work should see her future limited by outdated laws or institutions that do not support her rights, the World Bank report says. (koha.mk)