While no single index definitively names one "most patriarchal" country, Afghanistan consistently ranks at or near the bottom globally for women's rights and gender equality in major reports like the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report, often cited as the most patriarchal due to severe restrictions on education, work, and overall well-being, alongside countries like Chad, Syria, and Yemen. The Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region and South Asia generally show high levels of patriarchy, with countries like Saudi Arabia (with male guardianship laws) also noted for deeply entrenched patriarchal systems.
We then provide sub-national PI estimates for larger countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Pakistan. Patriarchy was highest in Afghanistan and lowest in Maldives. Barring Maldives, patriarchy was higher in SA countries compared with SEA countries.
Finland, along with neighbours Sweden and Norway, has one of the strongest global reputations for gender equality. The Scandinavian country's government uses a systematic and target-oriented approach to tackle sexism, and has its own Gender Inequality Policy.
The 10 countries with the worst GII scores are, in descending order, Guinea, Mali, Haiti, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Afghanistan, Chad, Somalia, Nigeria, and Yemen, which is ranked last among countries with available data.
Denmark. The Kingdom of Denmark emerged in the 10th century and includes two North Atlantic island nations, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Along with Sweden and Norway, it forms Scandinavia, a cultural region in Northern Europe.
Buddhism. The prevalence of the Bhikkuni Sangha, the female monastic tradition, within Buddhism is indicative of the respect given to women within the religion.
The world's largest matrilineal society of roughly 4 million people is located in West Sumatra, Indonesia. There, the Minangkabau people pass down property, inheritance, and surnames from mother to daughter.
The World Economic Forum's 2025 Global Gender Gap Report has seen Australia rise 11 places in the global rankings to 13th out of 148 countries for gender equality, the highest ever ranking since the Index began in 2006.
In a study published in 2019, researchers looked at gender discrimination in 134 countries, and claimed that in 91 (68%) of those countries, men were more disadvantaged than women.
Which countries have the highest income inequality? South Africa has the highest levels of income inequality in the world. The top 10 percent earn 66 percent of total income, while the bottom half receives only 6 percent.
The results found that men in Lithuania (3.3), Serbia (3.3), Croatia (3.2), and Cyprus (3.2) hold the most sexist views, whereas women in Italy (2.4), Hungary (2.5), and Greece (2.6) displayed the lowest levels of hostile sexism.
Top 10 countries with the most single women
Nearly every human culture contains evidence of misogyny.
The patriarchal renaissance observed in Russia and the consolidation of existing gender stereotypes and patriarchal attitudes in the public mind has a significant impact on the persistence and indeed growth of gender inequality.
RWANDA: The Only Country in the World Where Dominated by Women. Women have made significant advances in politics over the past few decades, with females having served as the head of state in many prominent countries, including Britain, India, Germany, Pakistan, and others.
Despite the progress made by Indian feminist movements, women living in modern India still face many issues of discrimination. India's patriarchal culture has made the process of gaining land-ownership rights and access to education challenging for women.
Prevalence of Mental Health Issues in Women
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression, and they are also more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders.
The factors of gender inequality in India are caused by patriarchy, loss of training, discrimination, stereotypes, child marriage, dowry, unemployment, and unequal opportunities.
Four types of gender stereotypes include personality traits, domestic behaviors, occupations, and physical appearance. Gender stereotypes shape how people perceive themselves and those around them at home, at school, and at work.
The biggest human rights issues in Australia center on the systemic discrimination and poorer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, reflected in overrepresentation in prisons, lack of constitutional recognition, and disparities in health/justice, alongside significant concerns for asylum seekers/refugees (offshore detention, indefinite detention) and widespread gender-based violence, with intersecting issues for people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and climate impact.
The gender ratio in Australia attained a value of 98 males to 100 females in 2021. The ratio recorded a year-on-year decrease of 0.04% in 2021.
Family Dynamic in Australia
Families in Australian culture can be more matriarchal compared to some Latin or Asian families, with mothers usually responsible for discipline and decisions regarding the children. In Australian culture, everyone shares in the housework.
Iceland. Iceland is the single most gender-equal country in the world... Iceland is arguably the most feminist and gender-equal country in the world.
China's Mosuo People
The Mosuo people in southwestern China are often referred to as the “last matrilineal society in China.” In this matriarchal society, any property is passed down through the female line, and women are the primary decision-makers in the family.