Australia rated 19th for women’s rights in business and the law- World Bank

With all the doom and gloom that comes with relationship breakdown, it is refreshing to do a reality check- and compare how women are treated under the law in Australia, compared to overseas.

Every two years the World Bank carries out a survey on Women, Business and the Law. I have been privileged to take part in the survey now three times, and am recognised by the World Bank as a local expert.

With all the challenges that exist under the law to ensure that men and women are equal, overall, Australia is doing well internationally. The World Bank has rated Australia equal 19th (with Hungary) after:

• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• France
• Iceland
• Latvia
• Luxembourg
• Sweden
• Estonia
• Finland
• Germany
• Greece
• Ireland
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Portugal
• Spain
•  UK

The worst performing country was West Bank and Gaza on 26.3, just behind Yemen on 26.9, Sudan on 29.4 and Iran on 31.3. The USA by comparison rated 91.3, along with Albania, Cyprus and Taiwan.

Out of 100, Australia rates 96.9. Australia rates 100 for:

• mobility
• workplace
• pay
• marriage
• parenthood
• entrepreneurship
• assets.

Australia rates 75 for pension.

It is shocking that:

• 30% of countries restrict women’s freedom of movement, including our neighbour, Papua New Guinea.
•  40% of countries have laws constraining women’s decision to join and remain in the labor force, the worst including Sudan, Iran, Jordan and the UAE, but also to a degree- Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
• More than two thirds of countries can improve legislation affecting women’s pay.
• Nearly 50% of countries can improve legal constraints related to marriage, including Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
• Australian  expectant and working mothers receive a wide range incentives which are amongst the most generous in the world.
•  In 115 countries women cannot run a business in the same way as men.
•  40% of countries limit women’s property rights, the worst countries being Muslim countries in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia plus South Sudan and Uganda.

Australia is one of the countries where there can be different retirement ages between men and women.