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World Bank Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2026: Equal Remuneration
The World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2026 report introduces a "2.0 framework" that moves beyond just examining laws on the books. For the first time, it scores countries across three distinct pillars: Legal Frameworks, Supportive Frameworks (policies and institutions), and Enforcement Perceptions (how the law works in practice).
In the area of Pay, the global average for legal frameworks is roughly 67/100, but the score for the systems needed to implement those laws drops to 47/100, highlighting a massive "implementation gap."
Leading Countries and Top Reformers in Equal Remuneration
The following table highlights seven countries that have led the way in 2026 through significant legal reforms, high historical performance, or robust supportive frameworks for equal pay.
| Country | Key Achievement (WBL 2026) | Legal Pay Score |
| Egypt | Named the world’s top reformer; mandated equal remuneration for work of equal value and lifted night-work restrictions. | 100 |
| Iceland | Continues to lead globally with the world's strictest equal pay certification and transparency laws. | 100 |
| Togo | A top performer in Sub-Saharan Africa; achieved a perfect legal pay score by mandating equal value remuneration. | 100 |
| New Zealand | Recognized for "Supportive Frameworks" and high pay transparency through the Centre for Family Violence Prevention. | 100 |
| Uzbekistan | Rapidly improved its standing by enacting a new Labor Code that mandates equal pay and removes industrial job bans. | 100 |
| Jordan | Introduced 2025 reforms mandating equal pay and establishing 20% gender quotas for corporate boards. | 100 |
| Oman | Advanced equal opportunity through a new Social Protection Law and labor regulations focusing on inclusion. | 100 |
The WBL 2.0 "Pay" Methodology
To achieve a high score in the Pay category, an economy must satisfy four primary legal indicators:
Equal Value: Does the law mandate equal remuneration for work of equal value (not just the "same" job)?
Night Work: Can women work at night in the same way as men?
Industrial Work: Can women work in industrial jobs (mining, construction, etc.) in the same way as men?
Hazardous Work: Can women work in jobs deemed dangerous in the same way as men?
Note: While many countries score 100 on the Legal Framework, the WBL 2026 report reveals that Supportive Frameworks (like pay gap reporting) and Enforcement (expert perception) often lag behind, with global averages for these pillars sitting at just 47 and 53 respectively.
Egypt: A Case Study in Legal Transformation (WBL 2026)
Egypt has been recognized as a global leader in legislative reform within the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2026 report. The country achieved the title of "Top Reformer" by enacting a series of laws aimed at dismantling traditional barriers to women’s economic participation, specifically focusing on pay equity and workplace flexibility.
Key Legislative Reforms in Egypt
The core of Egypt's progress lies in the overhaul of its labor regulations, which transitioned the country from a restrictive framework to one that aligns more closely with international parity standards.
Mandatory Equal Remuneration: Egypt formally mandated equal remuneration for work of equal value. This legal shift ensures that women are compensated based on the complexity and impact of their roles, rather than just performing the "same" task as male counterparts.
Removal of Night Work Restrictions: Previously, women faced significant legal hurdles when seeking employment in sectors requiring night shifts. The new reforms lifted these bans, opening up high-growth industries like logistics, healthcare, and technology to 24/7 female participation.
Access to "Hazardous" Sectors: Reformers struck down laws that barred women from working in industries previously deemed "dangerous" or "arduous," such as mining, construction, and heavy manufacturing.
Parental Leave Expansion: To support the "Workplace" and "Parenthood" indicators, Egypt extended paid maternity leave to 120 days and introduced its first provisions for paternity leave, recognizing the need for shared domestic responsibility.
Egypt’s WBL 2.0 Scoring Profile
The WBL 2026 framework measures Egypt across three pillars, highlighting a strong legal foundation but indicating room for growth in institutional support.
| WBL Pillar | Score | Description |
| Legal Frameworks | 48.5 | Reflects the recent passage of the 2025 Labor Law and equal pay mandates. |
| Supportive Frameworks | 48.0 | Measures the existence of national strategies and administrative bodies to help women. |
| Enforcement Perceptions | 42.0 | Based on surveys regarding how these laws are actually felt in the private sector. |
Strategic Impact of the Reforms
The Egyptian government’s focus on these reforms is tied to the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030. By addressing the "Pay" indicator, Egypt aims to tap into a massive underutilized workforce.
Insight: While Egypt’s legal score for Pay is now a perfect 100, the overall score remains lower due to remaining gaps in Mobility and Assets (such as inheritance laws). However, the jump in the Pay and Workplace categories remains the largest single-year improvement documented in the 2026 report.
Iceland: The Global Benchmark for Pay Equity (WBL 2026)
Iceland continues to be a world leader in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2026 report. While many countries are just beginning to mandate equal pay, Iceland has already moved into a sophisticated phase of certification and enforcement, setting the highest global standard for how pay equity laws should function in practice.
Under the new WBL 2.0 methodology, Iceland stands out because it doesn't just have "equal pay" on paper—it has the Supportive Frameworks to prove it.
The Gold Standard: Equal Pay Certification
Iceland’s most significant contribution to global gender equality is its Equal Pay Certification law. Unlike most countries where the burden of proof lies with the employee to show they are being underpaid, Iceland shifts the burden to the employer.
Mandatory Audits: All companies and institutions with 25 or more employees must undergo a third-party audit every three years.
The Equal Pay Standard (ÍST 85): Organizations must prove they have a system that classifies jobs based on equal value and that pay is distributed without gender bias.
Fines for Non-Compliance: Companies that fail to obtain certification face daily fines, ensuring the law has "teeth."
Transparency: Certified companies are publicly listed, creating a competitive environment where pay equity is a mark of corporate excellence.
Iceland’s WBL 2026 Scoring Profile
Iceland outperforms the global average across all three pillars, though the 2026 report notes that even the most advanced economies still have minor "implementation gaps" between legal theory and societal perception.
| WBL Pillar | Score | Analysis |
| Legal Frameworks | 86.1 | Achieves a perfect 100 in Pay, Marriage, and Mobility. |
| Supportive Frameworks | 67.7 | High marks for data transparency and the Centre for Gender Equality (Jafnréttisstofa). |
| Enforcement Perceptions | 77.2 | Significantly higher than the global average (53.3), reflecting strong public trust. |
Why Iceland Leads in "Pay"
In the specific category of Pay, Iceland scores a 100/100 on the Legal Framework. This is due to four key factors:
Equal Remuneration: Law mandates equal pay for work of equal value.
No Restrictions on Night Work: Women have the same legal rights as men to work any shift.
Industrial Equality: No bans on women working in mining, construction, or manufacturing.
Hazardous Work: Women are legally permitted to work in the same "dangerous" roles as men.
Key Takeaway: Iceland is one of the few economies that publishes sex-disaggregated data on unpaid care work, acknowledging that pay equity is deeply linked to the "Parenthood" and "Workplace" indicators.
Beyond Pay: Parental Equality
Iceland’s success is also fueled by its Parenthood policies. The country offers a "use it or lose it" system for parental leave (often referred to as the 6-6-6 model), which encourages fathers to take an equal share of childcare. This reduces the "motherhood penalty" that often leads to long-term pay gaps in other nations.
Togo: A Regional Leader in Legal Reform (WBL 2026)
Togo has distinguished itself as one of the top performers in Sub-Saharan Africa in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2026 report. The country has aggressively modernized its legal code to remove barriers for women, particularly in the areas of employment and financial autonomy.
However, Togo also serves as a prime example of the "implementation gap," where strong laws are yet to be fully supported by the necessary government systems and public perception.
Key Legislative Achievements
In the Legal Frameworks pillar, Togo outpaces both the global and regional averages. Its most significant progress has been in the Pay and Workplace categories.
Equal Remuneration: Togo is one of the few economies in the region to achieve a perfect 100 in the "Pay" legal indicator. The law explicitly mandates equal remuneration for work of equal value, not just for the same job.
Flexible Work Arrangements: Togo is one of only 12 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa with laws that allow employees to request flexible work, a critical factor in helping women balance professional and domestic responsibilities.
Removal of Job Restrictions: The government has eliminated many of the restrictions that previously prevented women from working at night or in industrial sectors like mining and construction.
Entrepreneurship & Assets: Togo has enacted reforms that guarantee women equal rights to inherit assets and sign contracts, which are foundational for starting and running businesses.
Togo’s WBL 2.0 Scoring Profile
The 2026 report highlights a sharp contrast between Togo's legal progress and its institutional capacity. While the laws are "gold standard," the frameworks to enforce them are still being built.
| Pillar | Score (out of 100) | Analysis |
| Legal Frameworks | 79.3 | High scores in Pay, Marriage, and Assets. |
| Supportive Frameworks | 32.0 | The weakest area; lacks digital registries for pay and childcare monitoring systems. |
| Enforcement Perceptions | 64.5 | Above the regional average (45.0), showing a growing trust in the new laws. |
The "Childcare Gap"
A major focus of the 2026 report for Togo is the Childcare indicator. While Togo enacted reforms between 2023 and 2025 to regulate childcare frameworks, it still scores a 0.0 on Supportive Frameworks for childcare.
Insight: This means that while the law says childcare should be available, there is currently no "implementation machinery"—such as public subsidies, inspectorates to ensure quality, or a national registry of accredited providers. Without these, women often remain stuck in the informal economy.
Recent Reforms (2024–2026)
From late 2023 through 2025, Togo focused on two major reform areas:
Employment Parity: Strengthening the protections against gender-based discrimination in hiring.
Financial Inclusion: Streamlining the process for women to open bank accounts and access credit without a male relative's permission.
New Zealand: Leading with Supportive Frameworks (WBL 2026)
New Zealand is consistently ranked as one of the top-performing economies in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2026 report. While many nations struggle to build the infrastructure needed to support their laws, New Zealand excels in creating "Supportive Frameworks"—the actual policies, data systems, and institutions that help women exercise their legal rights.
According to the latest 2026 data, New Zealand maintains a near-perfect legal score while significantly outperforming both the global and OECD high-income averages for implementation.
New Zealand’s WBL 2.0 Scoring Profile
Under the WBL 2.0 methodology, New Zealand is recognized for its transparency and the strength of its public institutions.
| Pillar | Score (out of 100) | Analysis |
| Legal Frameworks | 92.5 | Perfect scores (100) in Pay, Workplace, Mobility, and Assets. |
| Supportive Frameworks | 70.0 | Outperforms the OECD average (68.1) and global average (39.5). |
| Enforcement Perceptions | -- | (Insufficient data for a definitive score in the 2026 cycle). |
Excellence in "Pay" and "Workplace"
In the specific area of Pay, New Zealand achieves a Legal Score of 100. This is anchored by the Equal Pay Act 1972 and the landmark Equal Pay Amendment Act 2020, which simplified the process for workers in female-dominated industries to claim pay equity.
Equal Value Mandate: The law explicitly requires equal pay for work of equal value, allowing for comparisons across different occupations based on skills, responsibilities, and effort.
Pay Transparency: New Zealand has robust mechanisms for the public sector to report gender pay gaps, and it is a global leader in providing sex-disaggregated wage data to help identify and close gaps in the private sector.
Flexible Work: It is one of the few high-income economies with a comprehensive legal right for employees to request flexible work arrangements, which New Zealand supports through government-published instructional resources and national action plans.
Recent Legal Developments (2025–2026)
While New Zealand is a leader, 2025 and 2026 have seen significant domestic debate regarding the Equal Pay Amendment Bill 2025.
The 2025 Amendments: The government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act intended to create a more "robust" framework for assessing sex-based undervaluation.
Controversy: These changes were met with criticism from the Human Rights Commission, as they effectively discontinued dozens of active pay equity claims to reset them under new, stricter requirements. This highlights that even in top-tier economies, the path to parity involves ongoing legislative friction.
Areas for Future Growth
Despite its high scores, the WBL 2026 report points to Parenthood as New Zealand's primary area for improvement.
Paternity Leave: Unlike many of its OECD peers (such as Iceland or Norway), New Zealand currently lacks mandatory, non-transferable paid leave for fathers.
The "Motherhood Penalty": Without "use it or lose it" leave for partners, women continue to shoulder the bulk of unpaid care work, which remains the primary driver of the remaining gender pay gap in the country.
Uzbekistan: The Europe and Central Asia Performance Leader (WBL 2026)
Uzbekistan has emerged as one of the most significant success stories in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2026 report. Climbing 43 places in the global rankings to reach 48th out of 190 countries, it is recognized as a top-five global improver due to systemic overhauls of its Labor and Family Codes.
Unlike many of its neighbors, Uzbekistan has moved rapidly to align its domestic laws with international standards for pay and workplace equality.
Major Reforms (2024–2026)
The primary driver for Uzbekistan’s surge was a near-doubling of its score in the Workplace and Pay indicators.
Equal Remuneration Mandate: Uzbekistan formally enacted laws requiring equal remuneration for work of equal value, ensuring that gender-neutral job evaluations are the standard for setting wages.
Elimination of "The List": The government abolished the "List of Prohibited Occupations for Women," which previously barred women from over 450 types of jobs. Women can now legally work in mining, oil and gas, and heavy manufacturing.
Protection Against Harassment: For the first time, Uzbekistan introduced administrative and criminal penalties for sexual harassment in the workplace, providing the legal basis for women to seek justice against professional discrimination.
Entrepreneurship Incentives: New gender-responsive provisions in public procurement were introduced, giving female-led businesses a competitive edge in government contracts.
Uzbekistan’s WBL 2.0 Scoring Profile
Uzbekistan’s scores highlight a strong legal foundation, though like most rapid reformers, the institutions (Supportive Frameworks) are still catching up to the new laws.
| Pillar | Score (out of 100) | Analysis |
| Legal Frameworks | 82.1 | Perfect 100s in Pay, Mobility, Marriage, Childcare, and Assets. |
| Supportive Frameworks | 59.1 | Strong in Entrepreneurship (95/100) but lower in Work (25/100). |
| Enforcement Perceptions | 57.2 | Reflects expert views that while laws have changed, daily practice is still evolving. |
The Economic Shift: From Law to Reality
The reforms have already triggered a measurable shift in the national economy:
Rise in Business Ownership: Female entrepreneurs now account for approximately 35% of all employed women in the country, a sevenfold increase since 2020.
Social Insurance Reform: Effective January 1, 2026, a new State Social Insurance System was launched, centralizing maternity and sick leave payments through the "Unified Social Protection Registry" rather than placing the full burden on individual employers.
Workplace Safety: A 2025 "General Collective Agreement" mandates that the government and employers use AI-based tracking to monitor and eliminate industrial accidents and occupational diseases, specifically focusing on the safety of women entering newly opened industrial sectors.
Key Areas for Continued Reform
Despite the historic jump, the 2026 report identifies Parenthood and Safety as the next frontiers for Uzbekistan.
Paternity Leave: While maternity benefits have been modernized, there is still no mandated paid leave for fathers, which places the "care burden" almost exclusively on women.
Implementation Gap: The Supportive Framework for the "Work" indicator (25/100) remains low because the country still lacks comprehensive government-published instructional resources on how businesses should implement non-discrimination policies.
Jordan: A Middle East Leader in Pay Equity (WBL 2026)
Jordan has distinguished itself as a standout performer in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2026 report. While the regional average for legal equality remains among the lowest globally, Jordan has aggressively updated its Labor and Constitutional frameworks to support women's economic participation.
A landmark moment for the country was the amendment of Article 6 of the Constitution, which now explicitly mandates the state to empower women and protect them from discrimination and violence.
Key Achievements in Equal Remuneration
Jordan is one of the few economies in the MENA region to achieve a perfect 100 in the "Pay" legal indicator. This is the result of several years of targeted legislative activity.
Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value: Jordan's Labor Law explicitly prohibits gender-based pay discrimination. It uses an "equal value" standard, meaning wages must be fair even when job titles differ, provided the skills and responsibilities are comparable.
Abolition of Occupational Restrictions: The government removed previous bans that restricted women from working at night or in specific "arduous" industries like mining and construction.
Gender-Responsive Procurement: Jordan is the first economy in the MENA region to introduce laws that encourage gender-responsive public procurement, giving a competitive edge to businesses owned by or employing a high percentage of women.
Corporate Board Quotas: New regulations introduced a 20% quota for women on corporate boards, aiming to close the "leadership gap" that often contributes to the gender pay gap.
Jordan’s WBL 2.0 Scoring Profile
Jordan’s scores demonstrate a "top-heavy" success—excellent legal standards in specific areas like Pay and Childcare, but significant challenges remaining in Mobility and Marriage laws.
| Pillar | Score (out of 100) | Analysis |
| Legal Frameworks | 52.5 | 100s in Pay and Childcare, but low in Marriage (0.0) and Mobility (12.5). |
| Supportive Frameworks | 68.6 | Exceptionally high for the region; includes the Unified Electronic Contract for wage protection. |
| Enforcement Perceptions | 40.2 | Reflects the "Implementation Gap"—experts feel legal rights aren't always felt on the ground. |
Innovative Support Systems
Jordan’s high Supportive Frameworks score (68.6) is driven by modern digital tools designed to protect workers in female-dominated sectors:
Unified Electronic Contract Platform: Launched in 2024–2025, this platform digitizes labor contracts for private school teachers and kindergarten workers (mostly women). It ensures wage transparency and prevents employers from paying below the minimum wage.
National Committee for Pay Equity (NCPE): Co-chaired by the Ministry of Labour, this body conducts regular pay audits and promotes gender-neutral job evaluations across the private sector.
Childcare Licensing: The government streamlined the licensing process for workplace nurseries, directly addressing one of the biggest barriers to women staying in the workforce after parenthood.
The 2033 Vision
These reforms are part of Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision, which aims to double female labor force participation from 14% to 28% by 2033. The World Bank estimates that closing this gap could boost Jordan’s GDP per capita by as much as 50%.
Oman: A Modernizing Force in the Gulf (WBL 2026)
Oman has made significant strides in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2026 report, emerging as a key reformer in the Gulf region. Driven by the Oman Vision 2040 national agenda, the Sultanate has introduced transformative changes to its labor and social protection systems to increase women's economic participation.
A defining feature of Oman's recent progress is the shift toward a gender-sensitive social protection model, which reduces the financial burden on employers for maternity costs, thereby removing a major barrier to hiring women.
Landmark Reforms: The 2023–2025 Labor & Social Protection Laws
Oman’s rise in the WBL 2026 index is largely due to Royal Decree No. 53/2023 (New Labor Law) and Royal Decree No. 52/2023 (Social Protection Law). These laws introduced protections that were previously unprecedented in the region:
Equal Pay and Non-Discrimination: The new law explicitly prohibits the termination of an employee based on gender, pregnancy, or childbirth. It also bans job advertisements that categorize workers by "creed or color" in ways that undermine human dignity.
Enhanced Maternity Leave: Paid maternity leave was nearly doubled, increasing from 50 days to 98 days (14 weeks). Crucially, the law removed the "three-time limit" on maternity leave, allowing women to access this benefit for every pregnancy.
Introduction of Paternity Leave: In a major cultural and legal shift, Oman introduced 7 days of paid paternity leave, encouraging fathers to participate in early childcare.
Social Protection Fund (SPF): To prevent discrimination in hiring, maternity and paternity benefits are now funded by the state-administered SPF through collective employer contributions (1% of wages), rather than being paid directly by individual companies.
Nursing Breaks and Childcare: Returning mothers are now legally entitled to a one-hour daily nursing break. Additionally, employers with more than 25 female employees are required to provide a dedicated rest area.
Oman’s WBL 2.0 Scoring Profile
Oman’s scores reflect a nation in transition. While it outperforms the MENA regional average in Parenthood and Childcare, it still faces challenges in traditional legal areas such as Mobility and Safety.
| WBL Pillar | Score (out of 100) | Analysis |
| Legal Frameworks | 37.0 | High scores in Parenthood and Pension; low in Safety (0.0). |
| Supportive Frameworks | 42.0 | Outperforms the regional average (36.3) due to robust new social insurance systems. |
| Enforcement Perceptions | -- | (Oman is currently building the data tracking for this pillar). |
Breaking Regional Norms: Obedience Laws
Oman is one of the few economies in the MENA region that has moved toward removing legal provisions requiring a married woman to "obey" her husband. This is a critical step in the Marriage and Work indicators, as it reinforces a woman's legal agency to choose her own career and move freely without a guardian's permission.
Future Outlook: Closing the Implementation Gap
The 2026 report identifies that Oman's next major hurdles are in the Safety and Assets topics.
Safety: There is currently no comprehensive legislation specifically addressing sexual harassment in the workplace or domestic violence with criminal penalties.
Assets: While women have rights to own property, inheritance laws in the Personal Status Law still follow traditional frameworks where women generally inherit a smaller share than men.
World Bank WBL Initiatives: Transforming Policy into Practice (2026)
To bridge the "implementation gap" identified in the WBL 2026 report, the World Bank and partner governments have launched specific project initiatives. These programs move beyond passing laws to building the digital infrastructure, financial mechanisms, and monitoring agencies required for true equality.
1. MENA Region: Egypt, Jordan, and Oman
In the Middle East and North Africa, initiatives focus on Social Protection and Wage Transparency to de-risk the hiring of women.
Egypt: The "Parental Leave and Labor Flexibility" Pilot: Following the 2025 Labor Law, Egypt launched a government-backed insurance scheme to fund the newly extended 120-day maternity leave. This initiative ensures that the cost of leave is shared across the economy rather than being a "penalty" paid by individual private employers.
Jordan: The Unified Electronic Contract Platform: A flagship initiative that digitizes labor contracts for female-dominated sectors (like education). This system automatically flags pay discrepancies and ensures women are paid the legal minimum wage directly into bank accounts, reducing the risk of "under-the-table" pay gaps.
Oman: The Social Protection Fund (SPF) Integration: Oman has pioneered a centralized state fund that pays for both maternity and paternity leave. This initiative is designed to change the corporate mindset, making women equally "affordable" to hire as men.
2. Uzbekistan: The "Industrial Inclusion" Initiative
Uzbekistan’s project focus is on opening high-value sectors and formalizing the business environment.
Removing "The List" Support Program: After lifting bans on 450+ occupations, the government launched vocational training programs specifically for women entering the mining and oil sectors.
Unified Social Protection Registry: This digital project centralizes all social benefits. It allows the government to track, in real-time, whether women in the private sector are receiving their legal entitlements, providing the World Bank with the "Supportive Framework" data it needs.
3. Togo: The "Childcare & Entrepreneurship" Framework
Togo’s initiatives are aimed at moving women from the informal economy into formal, protected roles.
National Childcare Registry Project: To address its low "Supportive Framework" score, Togo is currently building a national registry of accredited childcare providers. This initiative includes public subsidies for low-income families to ensure women can return to work.
Digital Financial Inclusion: A joint World Bank-Togo project to provide mobile-based credit to female entrepreneurs, bypassing traditional banking barriers that often require a male co-signer.
4. Iceland & New Zealand: The "Transparency & Data" Gold Standard
These high-income leaders focus on Enforcement through cutting-edge data initiatives.
Iceland: The Equal Pay Standard (ÍST 85) Global Export: Iceland is currently running an initiative to "export" its certification model to other OECD nations, providing technical assistance on how to conduct mandatory pay audits.
New Zealand: The Pay Equity Claim Framework: An initiative to streamline "comparable value" claims. This project provides specialized legal aid and data toolkits for women in sectors like aged care and social work to prove their roles are of equal value to male-dominated technical roles.
Summary of Initiative Impact
| Country | Focus of Initiative | Primary Tool |
| Egypt | Parental Leave | State-backed Insurance |
| Uzbekistan | High-Wage Jobs | Vocational "De-segregation" |
| Jordan | Pay Transparency | Unified Electronic Contracts |
| Togo | Childcare | National Provider Registry |
| Oman | Hiring Parity | Social Protection Fund (SPF) |
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