The Associated Press: Nordics lead in eliminating gender inequality: Four Nordic countries lead the world in eliminating inequality between men and women and the United States entered the top 20 nations for the first time, according to a survey of 134 nations released Tuesday.
But France fell to 46th place — a loss of 28 places — because it has fewer women in ministerial posts, the survey said. Many Arab and predominantly Muslim countries remain near the bottom of the list, including Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Yemen.
The four Nordic countries — Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden — have topped the Global Gender Gap Index since it was first released in 2006 by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum, and Iceland remained in first place for the second straight year.
'Low gender gaps are directly correlated with high economic competitiveness,' Klaus Schwab, the forum's founder and executive chairman, said in a statement. 'Women and girls must be treated equally if a country is to grow and prosper.'
