According to the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law index , these regions score highest on legal gender parity in family law. Countries such as Canada, France, Germany and Argentina provide equal legal standing for spouses in marriage, property rights and decision-making over children.

Reforms across Latin America over the past two decades have modernised civil codes, strengthening protections against forced marriage and expanding women’s rights in custody and divorce proceedings.

On the contrary, elements of male guardianship laws remain in place in parts of the Middle East and North Africa . Under guardianship frameworks, women may require permission from a male relative, such as a father or husband, to marry, travel or access certain services.

While countries like Saudi Arabia have introduced reforms easing travel and employment restrictions for women, advocacy groups, including Amnesty International, note that aspects of the guardianship system remain embedded in personal status laws.

In some countries, married women are still legally required to obey husbands or may face unequal divorce rights, according to research from UN Women and the OECD Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI).

The most severe category highlighted in global human rights reporting involves jurisdictions where forced marriage remains legally permitted or insufficiently criminalised.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that child marriage continues to affect millions of girls worldwide, particularly in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Although many countries have raised the legal marriage age to 18, enforcement gaps remain.

In some countries, legal codes still designate the father as the primary decision-maker in matters concerning children, even where other aspects of family law have modernised.

The OECD SIGI 2023 report highlights that legal inequalities in parental authority continue to restrict women’s autonomy in certain jurisdictions, particularly regarding guardianship, nationality transfer and inheritance.

Over the past 30 years, significant legal reforms have expanded women’s rights in marriage across many regions. According to the World Bank , 190 economies have enacted more than 2,000 legal reforms advancing gender equality since 1970.

However, legal equality on paper does not always translate into equal practice. Cultural norms, enforcement gaps and parallel religious legal systems can limit the real-world impact of reforms.

The latest figures reflect a year shaped by commodity price swings, energy market shifts and renewed investor interest in African infrastructure and industrial projects.

Top 7 wealthiest Africans in 2026

Based on data from Bloomberg and Forbes, the leading fortunes are:

1. Aliko Dangote ( Nigeria ) — $32.7B

Founder of Dangote Group, Dangote’s wealth is anchored in cement, sugar, fertiliser and oil refining. The launch and scaling of the Dangote Refinery, one of the largest in the world, has significantly strengthened his valuation, according to Bloomberg tracking.

2. Johann Rupert and family ( South Africa ) — $18.9B

Chairman of luxury goods giant Richemont, Rupert’s fortune is closely tied to global demand for high-end brands such as Cartier and Montblanc, as reported by Forbes.

3. Nicky Oppenheimer (South Africa) — $14.0B

The former De Beers chairman retains substantial wealth through investments and private equity holdings following the family’s sale of its diamond stake to Anglo American.

4. Abdulsamad Rabiu (Nigeria) — $12.3B

Founder of BUA Group, Rabiu’s portfolio spans cement production, sugar refining, and real estate, sectors that have expanded across West Africa .

5. Naguib Sawiris (Egypt) — $11.2B

A telecom and investment magnate, Sawiris maintains significant holdings in global telecom ventures and construction.

6. Natie Kirsh (South Africa) — $10.5B

With major interests in wholesale and retail distribution, Kirsh’s fortune reflects long-term global trading operations.

7. Nassef Sawiris (Egypt) — $9.75B

The youngest of the Sawiris brothers, Nassef, holds stakes in construction giant Orascom Construction and sports investments, including a major shareholding in Adidas.

The Atlas, published by the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF), ranks countries based on legal status, availability of services, clinical guidelines and access to accurate information. The findings show a clear geographic divide, with Western and Northern Europe scoring significantly higher than parts of Central and Eastern Europe .

Countries such as France and Sweden rank among the highest performers, scoring above 85% in overall accessibility. France strengthened abortion protections in 2024 by becoming the first country in the world to explicitly enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution, a move widely reported by outlets including Reuters and BBC News.

Sweden has long maintained broad legal access, allowing abortion on request up to 18 weeks of pregnancy, according to the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.

Countries including Germany, Spain and Ireland fall into mid-tier categories. Germany permits abortion within the first 12 weeks, following mandatory counselling, under its criminal code framework. Spain expanded abortion rights in 2023 by removing mandatory parental consent for 16- and 17-year-olds, according to reporting from The Guardian and official Spanish government releases.

Ireland legalised abortion in 2018 following a national referendum that repealed its constitutional ban. However, advocacy groups note that service availability remains uneven in rural areas.

The most restrictive environments are found in Poland and Malta, according to both the Abortion Atlas and independent human rights monitors.

Poland introduced near-total abortion restrictions in 2020 after a Constitutional Tribunal ruling removed foetal abnormality as a legal ground. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented the impact of these restrictions on women’s health.

Malta remains the only EU member state with a near-total ban on abortion, though limited exceptions were introduced in 2023 to allow procedures where a woman’s life or health is at serious risk, according to the Maltese government and Euronews coverage.

Hungary and parts of the Balkans also face criticism over regulatory barriers, including mandatory waiting periods and additional procedural requirements.

1. Shakira

Shakira is one of the most recognisable singers in the world, and she’s also spent years investing in education and children’s rights. She founded the Fundación Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Foundation), which builds and supports schools for underprivileged children in Colombia, providing meals, parent training, and wider community help. She also co-founded ALAS, a regional initiative focused on improving early childhood policies across Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, she serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador , working on global education and social justice efforts.

2. Marc Anthony

Marc Anthony has combined global musical success with sustained humanitarian work, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. He co-founded the Maestro Cares Foundation in 2012, which supports disadvantaged children and communities across Latin America and the United States. The foundation funds and builds orphanages, schools and community homes in countries including the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Bolivia. Its focus is on creating safe housing, access to education and long-term stability for vulnerable children. Anthony has also been active in disaster relief, particularly following hurricanes in Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean. He has organised and participated in benefit concerts and fundraising efforts to support rebuilding and humanitarian aid.

Africa

Davido's custody battle

The legal team of Sophia Momodu, the estranged lover of Nigeria's top musician, Davido, has publicly warned the singer and his fans against intimidating or harassing the lawyer handling her child's custody case. The firm, Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors, criticised inciting posts on social media directed at their partner, Ebelechukwu Enedah, saying the matter is before the court and should be decided there, not online. They said threats or intimidation of legal practitioners undermine justice and should not be tolerated. The warning comes after Davido’s social-media posts expressing frustration with the lawyer’s conduct during a recent hearing, including comments he described as insensitive regarding his late son, which drew strong reactions from his followers. He later clarified that he was seeking joint custody of their daughter, Imade, and not full custody. He wrote in a social media post, "Like I said in the courtroom, I pray you never go through what me and my wife have gone through ever, and you were still smiling, smirking. You are a wicked human being. You are the worst lawyer ever. I beat you in court. You are not learned.”