Manila: The election of two women presidents and the appointment of a woman chief justice of the Supreme Court in the Philippines have elevated the country to eighth rank in a worldwide survey on closing the gender gap between men and women, done by an international body this year, a newspaper said.
Philippine presidents Corazon Aquino and Gloria Arroyo ruled from 1986 to 1992, and from 2001 to 2010, respectively. Maria Lourdes Sereno became the country’s first woman chief justice of the Supreme Court, following her appointment by President Benigno Aquino this year, said the Philippine Star which reported the result of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) global gender gap index done this year.
The Philippines ranked top 10 worldwide with the election of women senators and representatives at the two houses of Philippine Congress, and the appointment of women leaders in government posts, WEF said.
The Philippines was top 20 worldwide in measurement of women’s economic participation and political empowerment, WEF said, adding the Philippines remained Asia’s highest-ranking country to have closed the gender gap in education, economic equality, health care, and political participation.
Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Ireland, New Zealand, and Denmark ranked top seven respectively in gender gap index, followed by Nicaragua and Switzerland which ranked ninth and tenth, WEF said.
Developed countries and world economic powers such as the United States ranked 22nd; China 69th; and Japan 101st, WEF said.
Among the 10-member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Singapore ranked 55th; Thailand 65th; Vietnam 66th; Brunei Darussalam 75th; Indonesia 97th; Malaysia 100th; and Cambodia 103rd. Laos and Myanmar were out of WEF’s list.
Developing the gender dimension in a society or culture is “not just a question of equality; it is the entry card [of everyone] to succeed and prosper in an ever more competitive world,” said Klaus Schwab, WEF founder and executive chairman.
“The key for the future of any country and any institution is the capability to attract the best talents [regardless of gender]. In the future, talent will be more important than capital or anything else [for a country’s success],” said Schwab.
