Gender-based inequality is a phenomenon that affects the majority of the world’s cultures, religions, nations and income groups. Yet there are differences in the way gender disparities manifest themselves and how they have evolved over time. It is vital to develop frameworks for capturing the magnitude of these disparities in order to design effective measures for reducing them. A challenge that can be measured can be addressed. The Global Gender Gap Index, introduced by the World Economic Forum last year, is one such framework. It aims to be a tool for bench-marking and tracking global gender-based inequalities on economic, political, education- and health-based criteria. The country rankings are meant to serve a dual purpose. They are designed to create greater awareness among a global audience of the challenges posed by gender gaps and the opportunities created by reducing them. It is also hoped that the rankings, together with the detailed country profiles, will serve as a catalyst for change by providing policy-makers with a snapshot of their country’s relative strengths and weaknesses of their country’s performance compared to that of other nations.