11 per cent of countries have achieved gender equality 51 per cent of countries have a lower enrolment ratio for girls than boys 38 per cent of countries have a lower enrolment ratio for boys than for girls Progress in girls' enrolment in secondary education Because the gender gap may be closed at a low level of enrollment, it is important to look at the level of girls' enrollment. Paid employment is important because it puts money in women's hands. In the late 1990s the share ranged from a high of 54 per cent in Ukraine and Latvia to a low of 5 per cent in Chad in Sub-Saharan Africa. But the quality of employment has not increased in the same way, and may even have deteriorated. Women's jobs tend to enjoy less social protection and employment rights than do men's jobs.
Progress is strongly related to the introduction of various kinds of quotas for women in politics.
The share has fallen in some countries in all regions, but the most dramatic falls are in Eastern Europe. Iceland, Netherlands, Germany and South Africa Macro-Economic Obstacles to Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Some of the shortfall may be due to macroeconomic obstacles. A Broader Picture Women's economic progress is also assessed with a focus on women's relative occupancy of decision-making in employment and women's earnings relative to those of men. Women's organizations are already active in many countries in monitoring the impact of taxation and expenditures on women and men, and holding governments accountable for their budgets. The governments of South Africa, Sri Lanka, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis and Fiji are piloting tools for gender-sensitive analysis of public expenditure for use by ministries of finance.