SL ranks 79th among 144 countries as best places for women

The world economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Gender Gap Report 2014 has ranked Sri Lanka in 79th place among 144 countries for the best places to be a woman, while India and Nepal ranked 114 and 112 respectively.

India comes out poorly, ranked 114, with even fellow BRICS nations well ahead: South Africa is 18, Brazil 71, Russia 75, and China 87. India doesn’t do too well even when compared to its South Asian neighbours: Women in Bangladesh (68), Sri Lanka (79) and Nepal (112) are better off than their Indian sisters; only Bhutan (120) and Pakistan (141) are in worse shape.

The countries of northern Europe, which tend to wind up at the top of studies measuring happiness, are also the best places to be a woman.
Out of the 144 countries covered in the research, Iceland topped the list, followed by the Scandinavian quartet of Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Economic powerhouse Germany comes in at 12, the US at 20, the UK at 26, and Japan at 104.

-adaderana