Women dominate workforce in healthcare and education, WEF Report 2026 shows

When you glance at the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report, the numbers tell a story that feels both encouraging and frustrating. By June 2026, women weren’t just a sizable chunk of the workforce – they were the majority in four whole sectors. In healthcare and care services, they accounted for a striking 59.9 percent of employees. In education the figure was 54.2 percent, while consumer services and the government‑public sector hovered just above the halfway mark at 51.7 percent and 50.6 percent respectively.

It’s a shift you can actually see on the ground: more female doctors, nurses, teachers, and civil servants than ever before. Yet, if you step back and look at the broader picture, the overall participation of women in the labour market across the economies covered by the study barely nudged higher – from 39.9 percent in 2015 to 42 percent in 2025, slipping just a touch to 41.8 percent by mid‑2026.

And that’s where the paradox deepens. While the front‑line ranks are increasingly female, the upper echelons remain stubbornly male‑heavy. The report shows senior‑level representation – think vice‑presidents, C‑suite and board seats – crept from 26.7 percent in 2015 to 29.4 percent in 2023, then stalled. In the C‑suite of 39 economies, women held only 19.1 percent of chief executive officer (CEO) posts. Roughly a quarter of CFO and COO roles were filled by women, but the picture changes dramatically when you move into the tech‑heavy side of leadership.

Women occupy about two‑thirds of chief human‑resources and chief‑people officer slots, and just under half of chief‑marketing officer positions. By contrast, only one in five chief information officers (CIOs) and a paltry 8.6 percent of chief technology officers (CTOs) are women. The report bluntly notes that even when women have the same "CEO‑feeder" experience as men, they’re still less likely to be promoted to the top spot. That hints at hidden barriers – perhaps biased selection processes, networking gaps, or cultural expectations that quietly sideline capable candidates.

Boardrooms are seeing a slow but steady shift too. From 2014 to 2024, women’s share of board seats rose from 15.2 percent to 29.3 percent. Yet leadership within those boards – chair positions – barely budged, climbing from 3.2 percent to 5.2 percent over the same period. In the Fortune Global 500, female CEOs doubled from 14 in 2015 to 32 in 2025, lifting the overall share from 2.8 percent to 6.4 percent. Utilities lead the pack with 17 percent female CEOs, followed by telecommunications and media at 11 percent, while retail, energy and construction linger around 9 percent.

Even among the very top earners – the revenue‑driving giants of the Fortune Global 500 – women’s representation has been a roller‑coaster. The number of female CEOs rose to nine in 2023, then settled at seven in 2025. It’s progress, but the pace feels glacial.

So, what does all this mean? On the one hand, the sheer dominance of women in sectors like health and education signals a societal shift that could reshape how we think about gender and work. On the other, the stubborn glass ceiling at senior and technical levels tells us there’s still a long way to go. Policymakers, corporations, and even aspiring leaders need to ask: how do we turn that impressive frontline presence into equal representation where decisions are made?

For now, the numbers speak loudly enough: women are the backbone of many essential services, but they’re still waiting for a fair shot at the boardroom and the lab. Bridging that gap will require more than just counting heads – it will need intentional mentorship, unbiased promotion pathways, and a cultural shift that values diverse leadership as the norm rather than the exception.