London: Policies that promote gender equality, safeguards against violence and exploitation and access to healthcare make Canada the best place for women among the world’s biggest economies, a global poll of experts showed on June 13.
Infanticide, child marriage and slavery make India the worst, the same poll concluded.
Germany, Britain, Australia and France rounded out the top five countries out of the Group of 20 in a perceptions poll of 370 gender specialists conducted by TrustLaw.
The United States, came in sixth but polarized opinion due to concerns about reproductive rights and affordable healthcare.
At the other end of the scale, Saudi Arabia — where women are well educated but are banned from driving and only won the right to vote in 2011— polled second-worst after India, followed by Indonesia, South Africa and Mexico.
The poll, released ahead of a summit of G-20 heads of state to be held in Mexico on June 18-19, showed the reality for many women in many countries remains grim despite the introduction of laws and treaties on women’s rights, experts said.
The EU, which is a member of the G20 as an economic grouping along with several of its constituent countries, was not included in the survey.
Canada was perceived to be getting most things right in protecting women’s wellbeing and basic freedoms.
How they rank:
1. Canada 2. Germany 3. Britain 4. Australia 5. France 6. United States 7. Japan 8. Italy 9. Argentina 10. South Korea 11. Brazil 12. Turkey 13. Russia 14. China 15. Mexico 16. South Africa 17. Indonesia 18. Saudi Arabia 19. India.
