Why is there still a gender gap?

Why is progress toward gender equality stalling? Every year, the Global Gender Gap Report tracks how women are faring in leadership, politics and the workplace. In the 2025 edition, Silja Baller, Head of Economic Inclusion at the World Economic Forum, unpacks the latest data. This year’s findings show women’s hiring into senior leadership roles has slowed, and the rise of AI is disrupting jobs where women are overrepresented. Yet there are also encouraging gains: women’s representation in government and the labour market has grown steadily over the past two decades, showing progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 5: equality for women and girls.