Despite the growing trend in solo travel, women still encounter challenges when they travel abroad alone. But some places are topping the rankings when it comes to safety and equality.
To find the places making the most progress when it comes to safety and equality for women traveling, we consulted Georgetown University’s Women’s Peace and Security Index (WPS), the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report, and the Institute for Economics and Peace Global Peace Index (PGP). We then talked to women who’ve traveled alone to top-ranking countries to understand what made them feel safe, hear their travel tips and find out the best things to see and do as a solo adventurer.
Slovenia
Ranked at the top of the WPS index for Central and Eastern Europe, Slovenia has made big strides in the perception of women’s safety in recent years, with 85% of women feeling safe here, according to the index.
Rwanda
With 55% of its parliament made up of women representatives, Rwanda ranks number one in the world for gender equality in parliament, according to the WPS. It also ranks highly in the index’s perception of community safety and is ranked sixth in the world in the Global Gender Gap index, which measures how equitable a country is in terms of economics, education, healthcare, and political participation.
United Arab Emirates
With the highest scores in the WPS within the Middle East and North Africa for women’s schooling and financial inclusion, the UAE continues to be a leader in gender equality in the region and recently reached gender parity in its parliament. It also ranks the highest of all countries in the index in the category of community safety, with 98.5% of women aged 15 years and older reporting that they “feel safe walking alone at night in the city or area where [they] live”.
Japan
Ranked one of the top 10 safest countries in the world by the Global Peace Index for its extremely low rates of violent crime and a low number of external or internal conflicts, Japan has a culture of women-only subway cars (during certain times and routes) and women-only accommodations that can make it feel extra safe for women traveling alone.
Norway
Ranked number one in the WPS for its top scores in women’s financial inclusion, absence of legal discrimination, and women’s community safety – and consistently ranking in the top 10 of the most gender-equitable and happiest countries in the world – Norway has proved to be an inclusive place for travelers of all types, including LGBTQ+ and solo visitors.
