The World Economic Forum’s (WEF's) latest Global Gender Gap report shows that South Africa has dropped to 19th place out of the 144 countries measured.

According to a statement from WEF, this year painted a bleak picture of gender equality globally. WEF said that for the first time since measurements were taken across the four key pillars of health, education, the workplace and political representation, the global gap has widened.

“Equality is in retreat across all four pillars,” the WEF report found. “It’s a stark contrast to the positive, albeit slow progress that has otherwise been made over the past decade.”

South Africa dropped four places to 19th overall, making it the third most gender equal country in Sub-Saharan Africa after Rwanda which came fourth globally and Namibia which placed 16th.

The WEF report said South Africa has fully closed its health and survival gender gap, and has also nearly closed its educational attainment gender gap although a persistent gap in literacy is holding it back in this segment.

“One big challenge for the country is translating positive progress into economic gains for women: over the past year, perceived wage equality for similar work has fallen 28 places to 114th.”

The report further found that 56% of all South African women’s work is unpaid, compared to 25% of men’s, while mean monthly earnings of women in SA is 77% that of men.

Click here to read the report.