Jamaica is one of 11 countries sharing the top ranking in the world in gender equality in educational attainment according to a report published by the World Economic Forum last week.

The gender gap is reversed in education in Jamaica with 2.29 women for every man enrolled in tertiary institutions.

Overall, Jamaica was 24th out of 115 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2006, two places behind the United States and one ahead of Switzerland.

In economic participation Jamaica was ranked seventh, 65th for political empowerment and 82nd for health and survival ranking.

The report, carried out in collaboration with Harvard University and the London Business School and based on United Nations data, represents more than five billion of the world's population. This year the report focused on the relative size of the gender gap rather than levels of women's empower-ment and access.

"Our index shows that the world (115 countries) has on average closed over 90 per cent of the gender gap in education and in health. On the other hand, the countries covered have closed only a little over 50 per cent of the gender gap in economic participation and opportunity, and only 15 per cent of the gap in political empowerment," said Saadia Zahidi, who authored the report.

Results were assessed on a scale of zero for inequality to one for total equality. Jamaica scored 0.7 against bottom country Yemen with 0.48. Sweden topped the list with 0.81, but still has to close the gender gap.