Women are safer, more equal and have better access to justice in Denmark than in any other country in the world. This according to the 2023 “Women, Peace and Security Index” which was published in October by Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security and the Peace Research Institute Oslo.

Qualities crucial for female founders

Every second year the two organisations analyse 177 countries to produce the Women, Peace and Security Index. For the index they measure 13 indicators across the three subjects: Inclusion, justice, and security. The last two are crucial for anyone working with innovation while inclusion allows a larger pool of talent to take part in the value creation.

For our innovation district, it is highly important that researchers, start-up founders and students meet the best possible conditions regardless of background, when they come here to be innovative. The fact that Denmark does well specifically when it comes to women’s liveability is a good argument for international female talents to build their start-ups here.”: Kristoffer Klebak, Head of Secretariat, Copenhagen Science City.

Financial and legal equality

The individual indicators in the index range from education and employment to laws and proximity to conflict. According to the Index, in 2023 Denmark is one of only 13 countries, where all women have access to a bank account and one of just 14 countries with a fully gender equitable legal code. Denmark also scores highest on women’s access to justice and on the absence of political violence targeting women.

Womens well-being makes for prosperous countries

Countries where women are doing well scored higher in terms of peace and democracy, which can hardly come as a surprise. However, the Index also shows a close link between women’s well-being and a country’s prosperity. According to the WPS Index and other global indices, prosperity, peace and democracy are more strongly correlated with women’s status than they are with Gross Domestic Product.