A decade-long study found that only 6 countries have equal rights for women and men — and the US isn't one of them

• A World Bank report gave six nations a perfect score for achieving equal rights between men and women under the law. 
• All six nations are in Europe, which has some of the most progressive childcare and paid leave policies in the world. 
• Women in a typical economy have only three-quarters of the rights of men, the report found. 

The last decade has secured numerous victories for gender equality around the world.

India criminalized child marriage, women in Saudi Arabia won the legal right to drive, and Suriname's "nationality law" was overturned, allowing women to pass citizenship to their children without marrying someone from the same country. 

But only six countries have achieved true gender parity under the law, according to a recent report by The World Bank. 

Read more: 6 charts show how much more men make than women

The report looked at how legislation affects women's economic decisions across eight indicators: the ability to travel, start a job, get married, have children, run a business, get paid, manage assets, and obtain a pension.

Countries with 100 points earned a perfect score, but the global average was around 75 points. This led the authors to conclude that "a typical economy only gives women three-quarters the rights of men." 

The United States scored an 84, but lost points due to its parental leave policies. Nations in the Middle East and North Africa earned a much lower average of 47 points. 

Take a look at how six countries — Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Sweden — have achieved equal rights under the law over the last decade. 

Belgium is reducing one-on-one salary negotiations.

The World Bank considered whether women in different countries were able to work the same hours and in the same industries as men. It also considered whether the law requires equal payment for work of equal value.

In Belgium, the vast majority of workers sign collective bargaining agreements that prevent them from having to individually negotiate their salaries.

In 2012, the country passed a law that requires employers to analyze their wage structure to detect any differences in pay between men and women. Women are also protected by a system that automatically raises wages to meet the growing cost of living. 

Three new policies paved the way for a more equal society in France.

A decade ago, not single country achieved a perfect score on The World Bank's assessment of gender equality. France has made by far the greatest strides by passing landmark policies in the last ten years.

In 2018, the government introduced five new measures to combat domestic violence, including additional funding for a national helpline and an online platform that simplifies the process of reporting an attack. It also introduced paid parental leave and increased the penalty for workplace sexual harassment. 

Denmark is making efforts to combat domestic violence.

Nordic countries are known for their progressive childcare and paid leave policies, but many of them suffer from high incidences of domestic violence. In Denmark, 32% of women said they had experienced intimate physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.

A 2016 report refers to this phenomenon as the "Nordic paradox," suggesting that there may be an unexpected backlash against women in gender-equal societies. 

Since 2002, Denmark has launched multiple national action plans to confront this issue. The most recent plan focuses on young people exposed to dating violence.