Where in the world will it be best to be a woman in 2026? According to the latest Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Index, that place remains Northern Europe, where the top five spots are all held by Scandinavian countries.
Published by Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace, and Security, the 2025/26 WPS Index ranks 181 countries based on 13 indicators covering women’s inclusion, justice, and security.
Denmark ranks first in the world.
Afghanistan (index 0.279) remains the lowest-ranked country, while Denmark’s score is more than three times higher—0.939.
Costa Rica and Uruguay have entered the top quintile of the global ranking for the first time, reflecting significant progress in Latin America.
The Republic of Moldova ranks 36th with a score of 0.821.
Romania ranks lower—46th place with a score of 0.801.
Ukraine ranks 116th with a score of 0.645.
Russia ranks 75th with a score of 0.718.
