Vincent West/Reuters
Women in the United States suffer more discrimination than their counterparts in Western European countries, according to a new ranking published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. A lack of paid maternity leave, a small percentage of female politicians, and states that allow child marriage all contributed to the low ranking. Countries in the Middle East have the highest levels of discrimination, while countries in Africa have made the most progress in reducing discrimination against women, according to the index. Twenty-seven countries around the world still have laws requiring women to obey their husbands, 16 of which impose penalties for disobedience. Of the 120 ranked nations, Switzerland is the least discriminatory country, while Yemen is the most discriminatory country, according to the report.