Intimate Partner Violence
Our Index captures the percentage of women who experienced physical or sexual violence committed by an intimate partner in the 12 months prior to data collection. More than one in eight women globally have experienced recent IPV, with rates ranging from 2 percent in Switzerland and Singapore to 45 percent in Iraq.
Source: UN Women Global Database on Violence against Women
| 2021 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Country Score | Singapore (2%) | Singapore, Switzerland (2%) |
| Worst Country Score | Iraq (45.3%) | Iraq (45.3%) |
| Global Average | 11.7% | 12.9% |
| Best Regional Average | Developed Countries (4.8%) | |
| Worst Regional Average | Fragile States (20.8%) |
Notable Finding: Fragile States record the highest rate of intimate partner violence in the world at 21 percent. However, incidents of IPV are often underreported due to fear or lack of trust in authorities, making it difficult to capture the full extent of the issue.
Perception of Community Safety
Security and safety in the community affect women’s mobility and opportunities outside the home. Perceptions of safety are heavily influenced by larger trends of conflict and violence, which threaten women’s immediate and long-term well-being. Our Index captures the percentage of women ages 15 years and older who report that they “feel safe walking alone at night in the city or area where you live.”
Source: Gallup World Poll
| 2021 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Country Score | United Arab Emirates (98.5%) | Kuwait (96%) |
| Worst Country Score | Afghanistan (9.8%) | Lesotho (21%) |
| Global Average | 61.9% | 64.3% |
| Best Regional Average | East Asia and the Pacific (82.9%) | |
| Worst Regional Average | Latin America and the Caribbean (39.5%) |
Notable Finding: Nearly two-thirds of women worldwide feel safe walking alone at night, with rates ranging from 21 percent in Lesotho to nearly 100 percent in Kuwait.
Political Violence Targeting Women
Political violence undermines women’s ability to participate in civic spaces and decision-making processes, hindering global democratic and peace processes. The Index measures the number of political violence events targeting women per 100,000 women.
Source: The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project
| 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Best Country Score | Multiple (0) |
| Worst Country Score | South Sudan (1.18) |
| Global Average | 0.08 |
| Best Regional Average | Developed Countries (0.011) |
| Worst Regional Average | Latin America and the Caribbean (0.381) |
Notable Finding: Mexico, Brazil, and Nigeria report the highest total event count of political violence targeting women. This violence manifests in a myriad of ways that threaten women’s physical, sexual, economic, or psychological safety, all while deterring their ability to freely participate in civic space and decision-making roles.
Proximity to Conflict
Armed conflict disproportionately affects women through multiple channels, including higher risks of gender-based violence, livelihood disruptions, worsening education systems, and diminishing healthcare access. Our Index measures the percentage of women who live within 50 kilometers of conflict.
Source: Peace Research Institute Oslo
| 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Best Country Score | Multiple (0%) |
| Worst Country Score | Multiple (100%) |
| Global Average | 19% |
| Best Regional Average | Developed Countries (0.8%) |
| Worst Regional Average | Fragile States (61%) |
Notable Finding: In Burundi, Palestine, and Syria, all women live within 50 kilometers of armed conflict. In 16 countries, more than 3 in 4 women live in close proximity to armed conflict.