(CNN) - Gender equality is on a downslide.
According to the latest World Economic Forum report, equality is in retreat for the first time since 2006, when the report was first compiled.
The findings are based on gender imbalances in education, politics, health and in the workplace. According to the report, the gender gap widened in all four areas.
"In 2017, we should not be seeing progress towards gender parity shift into reverse. Gender equality is both a moral and economic imperative. Some countries understand this and they are now seeing dividends from the proactive measures they have taken to address their gender gaps," said Saadia Zahidi, Head of Education, Gender and Work, World Economic Forum.
Of the 144 countries in the report, the U.S. was in 49th place, four spots lower from the last report. When the group researched this topic for the first time in 2006, the U.S. was in 23rd place.
The researchers said no country is equal when it comes to work and economic opportunities, but the top country for gender equality is Iceland, followed by Norway and Finland.
Other countries listed in the report include France at 11, Germany at 12, the United Kingdom at 15, Canada at 16, South Africa at 19 and Argentina 34.
Despite the global retreat, the group said that the world is closer to gender parity now than it was in 2006.
