The good news: the global gender gap has improved, slightly. The reality: differences in economic opportunity, including pay between men and women, are so vast it'll take 202 years to fully bridge them, according to the World Economic Forum.

The group looks at several measures of equality between men and women in this year's Global Gender Gap Report, released on Tuesday. Overall gender disparity across politics, work, health and education improved by less than 0.1 per cent, meaning it'll take 108 years to reach parity. The economic opportunity gap - based on participation, pay and advancement in the workforce - remains the area that'll take the longest time to close.

The figures are a tiny improvement from last year's results, where the gap between the achievements and well-being of men and women widened for the first time in more than a decade. Credit:Shutterstock

The figures are a tiny improvement from last year's results, where the gap between the achievements and well-being of men and women widened for the first time in more than a decade.

"What we're seeing globally is that we don't have any country that's achieved gender equality, regardless of level of development, region or type of economy. Gender inequality is the reality around the world, and we're seeing that in all aspects of women's lives," said Anna-Karin Jatfors, regional director for UN Women. She added that "202 years is too long a wait" for economic equity.