Women in Sweden earn a slightly lower average salary than men, but this disparity seems to be driven, in part, by more women working part-time.
The Swedish government reports that mothers view childcare responsibilities as one of the main reasons why they can't take on a full-time job — something the country is actively working to address.
Sweden now offers free childcare for up to 15 hours per week for children ages three to six. It also allows parents of both sexes to take 16 months of parental leave while earning about 80% of their salary (with a cap). Parents are required to share their time off, and fathers are recommended to take about five months.
The World Bank report found that laws such as these could encourage more women to participate in the workforce.