World Economic Forum: It will take 257 years to reach equal pay

Until the year 2277, women will have to wait 257 years before they can get equal pay.

According to the World Economic Forum, change won’t be happening anytime soon at current rates. The gender gap in economic opportunity and participation won’t be closing in the next 257 years. This is a drastic increase in waiting time compared to last year’s estimate at 202 years. The data is presented in the non-government organization’s latest Global Gender Gap Report published last Tuesday.

The recently published report measures gender gap estimates across various fields including economics, health, education, and politics. It also ranked 153 nations based on how close they come to gender equality across these categories.

Hailed as the most gender-equal country of eleven years in a row is the Nordic nation Iceland. Its fellow Nordic countries — Norway, Sweden, and Finland — also place in the top five along with Nicaragua. Ranking the lowest overall is Yemen.

While 101 countries from the assessment have increased in scores, the United States went down by two spots from last year’s results. America currently ranks 53rd on the list.

The World Economic Forum’s report cites several factors as the reason for the global widening of the economic gender gap. One factor is that more women are in sectors that are impacted the most by automation, including the retail sector. Another is the lack of women entering professions that hold the most noticeable wage growth, like those in the tech industry.

All over the world, women continue to hold demonstrations addressing the gender pay gap.