Women, Business and the Law Index in South Africa
South Africa: Women, Business and the Law Index was 88.12 index (0–100) in 2023. ▲ Rising
Women, Business and the Law Index in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in index (0–100).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 88.12 index (0–100) for women, business and the law index in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, women, business and the law index in South Africa peaked at 88.12 index (0–100) in 2014 and was at its lowest, 25.62 index (0–100), in 1970.
South Africa ranks 54th of 188 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Women, Business and the Law Index in South Africa, year by year
| Year | index (0–100) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 25.62 index (0–100) | — |
| 1971 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 25.62 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 28.75 index (0–100) | +12.2% |
| 1985 | 33.75 index (0–100) | +17.4% |
| 1986 | 33.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 33.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 38.75 index (0–100) | +14.8% |
| 1989 | 38.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 38.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 38.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 41.88 index (0–100) | +8.1% |
| 1993 | 41.88 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 59.38 index (0–100) | +41.8% |
| 1995 | 59.38 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 61.88 index (0–100) | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 65 index (0–100) | +5.1% |
| 1998 | 70 index (0–100) | +7.7% |
| 1999 | 75.62 index (0–100) | +8.0% |
| 2000 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 78.75 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 81.88 index (0–100) | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 81.88 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +7.6% |
| 2015 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 88.12 index (0–100) | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.62 index (0–100) | 25.62 index (0–100) | 25.62 index (0–100) | 10 |
| 1980s | 31 index (0–100) | 25.62 index (0–100) | 38.75 index (0–100) | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.25 index (0–100) | 38.75 index (0–100) | 75.62 index (0–100) | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.75 index (0–100) | 78.75 index (0–100) | 78.75 index (0–100) | 10 |
| 2010s | 85 index (0–100) | 78.75 index (0–100) | 88.12 index (0–100) | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.12 index (0–100) | 88.12 index (0–100) | 88.12 index (0–100) | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 54 Georgia 88.12 index (0–100) compare
- 54 Republic of Korea 88.12 index (0–100) compare
- 54 Switzerland 88.12 index (0–100) compare
- 54 Viet Nam 88.12 index (0–100) compare
More gender data for South Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,151 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6591 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 51,011 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 51,011 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.07 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 570,099 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 589,533 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 570,599 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 589,626 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 569,634 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is women, business and the law index in South Africa?
- Women, business and the law index in South Africa was 88.12 index (0–100) in 2023, according to Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest women, business and the law index recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 88.12 index (0–100) in 2014.
- What is the lowest women, business and the law index recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.62 index (0–100) in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for women, business and the law index?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 188 countries with data for 2023.
- Is women, business and the law index rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Women, Business and the Law Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The index measures how laws and regulations affect women’s economic opportunity on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 means equal legal rights for men and women. It is the average score of eight categories: mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets, and pension.