Do We Call This Progress?

On this, Women's Equality Day which every August 26th, celebrates the 40th anniversary of the passage of the voting rights amendment that gave women the right to vote in this country, perhaps it's time to see how far we've come in narrowing the gender gap...at least according to the World Economic Forum which posted the Global Gender Gap Index recently.
The research was based on four major indicators of equality:

1. Economic participation and opportunity

2. Educational opportunity

3. Health and survival

4. Political empowerment

The United States finished 19th among the 134 countries judged, finishing very high in some categories while not so high in others (as one might expect). Also, ass one might expect, the countries in which the gap was the greatest between men and women were fundamentally Islamic countries. But, back to the U.S.

America tied for first (with 21 other countries) in the category of educational attainment.
However, it fell to 38th in the category of health and survival (eek!) and 40th in political empowerment.
since the article I read on CNN News did not publish the entire study, those are the only facts to be gleaned about a gender gap in this country.
If you ladies are thinking, "Well, where should I go to enhance my opportunities?" I will list the top ten countries and let you decide (chauvinists need not apply!)

10. Switzerland
9. The Philippines
8. Lesotho (huh?)
7. Denmark
6. Ireland
5. New Zealand
4. Sweden
3. Finland
2. Norway
1. Iceland

Why all the Scandinavian-type countries so near the top? No idea...though most of them have a more or less socialist government system.
Bon Voyage, Ladies!