The European Parliament in session. Photo: www.sikhsiyasat.net.

The European Union Parliament on Wednesday awarded Israel the prize for being the leading country in the Middle East and North Africa in “Reducing the Gender Gap,” the name of the award, Israeli daily Ma’ariv reported. Supreme Court Justice Daphna Barak-Erez will accept the prize on behalf of the Jewish State on Wednesday evening.

Female members of parliament from around the world have gathered in Brussels this week to celebrate advances made by women. The prize awarded to Israel was based on research from the World Economic Forum into the progress made by women in 135 countries, in terms of resource allocation between men and women and how that is reflected in gender equality in the population.

Countries compete based on their regions, with Israel compared to its Middle East and North African peers, as well as on the global scale.

Israel scored 70.3 points, ranking 53rd place in the world, up from 56 last year. The global list is led by Iceland and the Scandinavian countries, with Syria, Chad, Pakistan and Yemen at the end.

Israel is ranked 45th in salary differences between men and women, in 36th place for women holding senior positions and in 58th place for female representation in parliament.