Equality between Women and Men in Bulgaria is Decreasing

Equality between women and men in Bulgaria has sharply decreased since 2006 - this was shown by the annual report of the World Economic Forum.

The organization, which gathers political and corporate leaders from around the world each year at the Swiss resort of Davos, measures inequality, taking into account the economic opportunities, education, health and political influence of men and women.

Bulgaria ranks 49th out of 153 countries in the global ranking, while in 2006 it was 37th. The only criterion that the country is doing better now is women's economic participation. But in terms of educational attainment, health, and especially political empowerment, its positions are lower.

In terms of economic opportunities for women, Bulgaria ranks 52nd, of educational attainment - 85th. The country is on the 41st position in terms of health, and on is 60 in political empowerment.

In the region - Eastern Europe and Central Asia - Latvia comes first, followed by Albania and Moldova. Bulgaria ranks 10th out of 26 countries and is located between Poland and Romania. Last in the region is Tajikistan.

However, Bulgaria has three first places - in terms of women as professional and technical employees, their access to university education and life expectancy.

Last in the global ranking are Pakistan, Iraq and Yemen, and the first - Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Nicaragua.

It will take more than two and a half centuries for women to achieve the same economic opportunities as men if gender inequality continues to close at the current slow pace, according to the forum's overall assessment.

This year's report outlines the increasing need for urgent action, said Forum founder Klaus Schwab, warning that overall economic growth and development would not be achieved without women's participation.

At the dawn of the second decade of the 21st century, building a fairer and more open economy should be the goal that world, national and business leaders set themselves, he added.

Overall gender inequality has fallen by 1 percentage point to 31 percent this year, with advances in women's political representation outweighing the economic retreat.

Women are pushing to enjoy the same educational opportunities as men after only 12 years, but political equality will take 95 years and equality in economic prospects 257 years if current rates of change are maintained, experts predict.

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