At the current pace, it will take 36 years to achieve gender parity in Spain
In the sixth edition of this report, we see how the Index has evolved to reach 65.9%, leaving 34.1% of the gender gap still to be closed. In terms of economic impact, the indicator shows that inequalities between women and men result in a negative effect of €271 billion, equivalent to 17% of Spain’s 2024 GDP.
Employment drives progress with a historic leap in public leadership. Slight setback in Education and Work-Life Balance
The 6th ClosinGap Index, in collaboration with PwC, shows a significant 1.8-point increase in the Employment indicator, driven especially by the rise in female leadership within the General State Administration, which climbs from 71.2% to 94.5%, placing it very close to parity.
This historic leap demonstrates that when there is political will and concrete measures, real progress is possible. The number of women in senior management positions in the public sector has grown by 19% in just one year, bringing them to 48.6%, compared to 51.4% for men.
However, the indicator also highlights ongoing challenges: Education declines slightly (-0.3 p.p.) due to the widening gap in STEM fields, where the indicator stands at just 39.1%. Work-life balance, the most lagging category at 44.2%, experiences a slight deterioration (-0.2 p.p.), mainly due to the reduction in time women dedicate to leisure.
Meanwhile, Health and Well-being reverses its negative trend with a slight improvement (+0.1 p.p.) to 83.8%, and Digitalisation remains stable at 75.1%.
“This year’s data show us that change is possible when there is genuine commitment and concrete measures in place. The leap in public leadership proves it. However, the gender gap continues to close at a pace we cannot accept. Acting with greater speed and ambition is not only an ethical aspiration, but a strategic necessity. A more equal future is, by definition, a better future for everyone”.