DGBAS officials quoted the latest United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report as showing that in 2005, Norway, Sweden and Finland had the world's top three GEM indices, indicating that females in these countries have more opportunities to take part in formulating political and economic policies than their counterparts in the rest of the world.

The UNDP began in 1995 to compile and publish GEM rankings, using data provided by surveyed countries on the numbers and ratios of female politicians and female executives at or above the managerial level, as well as on females' contribution in terms of gross domestic product (GDP).

In terms of GEM, Taiwan ranks high on the list in the 19th position, well ahead of Japan's ranking of 55th and South Korea's 65th. In Asia, only Singapore has a higher ranking than Taiwan, placing 16th in the world, DGBAS officials said.

According to the UNDP report, the "better half" gender of the world's population of 6.5 billion has not only become much more active in terms of political participation and business management, they have also been significant contributors in terms of GDP.

Women in Kenya, Sweden and Mozambique had the world's three highest rankings in terms of per capita GDP generated by females for 2005, contributing to their respective countries' GDP to the tune of some 80 percent of the amount generated by men in 2005.

In this category, Taiwan women contributed 67 percent of the amount generated by men in the country's GDP, to rank 26th in the world, ahead of Japan's 119th ranking and South Korea's 132nd ranking, according to the GDBAS officials.

The officials noted that since Taiwan is not a U.N. member, they decided to work out the relevant figures and positions of Taiwan based on data from the World Economic Outlook Databank, compiled by the International Monetary Fund and by using the UNDP's calculation formula.