GGGR 2025

Global Gender Gap Report 202560Data from UN Women further shows that women in cabinet positions are still most commonly appointed to portfolios related to gender, health and social affairs, while they remain underrepresented in ministries that shape economic strategy, defence and infrastructure (Figure 2.11). This distribution is more than symbolic; it has tangible economic consequences, shaping national priorities, fiscal policy and the allocation of public investment in ways that often fail to account for half the population’s contribution to economic growth. Achieving equal political representation is not a goal for women alone to pursue; it requires those who already hold power to actively create pathways for others to follow. This includes not only opening doors to formal leadership but also embedding equality into the institutions that shape public decision-making. Source World Economic Calculations using UN Women Women in Politics 2025 data. 50 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55Portfolio category Share of women ministers (%)Average share of women cabinet ministers, by portfolio category FIGURE 2.11