Spouses have equal rights to manage their own and joint assets by country
In marriage, women and men keep control over the property they bring in or acquire, and both have equal rights to manage joint assets, with consent required only for major transactions like selling or pledging property.
Countries reporting
170
Highest
1 (1=yes; 0=no)
Afghanistan
Lowest
1 (1=yes; 0=no)
Zimbabwe
Median
1 (1=yes; 0=no)
Years covered
54
1970–2023
Data points
10,152
What the numbers show
Spouses have equal rights to manage their own and joint assets is currently reported for 170 countries. The highest value is 1 (1=yes; 0=no) in Afghanistan; the lowest is 1 (1=yes; 0=no) in Zimbabwe.
The median across all reporting countries is 1 (1=yes; 0=no), and the mean is 1 (1=yes; 0=no).
Spouses have equal rights to manage their own and joint assets: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afghanistan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Angola | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Albania | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Argentina | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Armenia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Antigua and Barbuda | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Australia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Austria | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Azerbaijan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Burundi | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Belgium | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Benin | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Burkina Faso | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Bangladesh | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bulgaria | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bahrain | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bahamas | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Belarus | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Belize | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bolivia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Brazil | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Barbados | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Brunei | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bhutan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Botswana | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Central African Republic | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Canada | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Switzerland | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | China | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Cote d'Ivoire | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 1 | Colombia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Comoros | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Cape Verde | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Costa Rica | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Cyprus | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Czechia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Germany | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Djibouti | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Dominica | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Denmark | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Dominican Republic | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Algeria | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Ecuador | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Egypt | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Eritrea | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Spain | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Estonia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Ethiopia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Finland | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Fiji | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | France | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Gabon | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 1 | United Kingdom | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Georgia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Ghana | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Guinea | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Gambia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Greece | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Grenada | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Guatemala | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Guyana | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Hong Kong | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Honduras | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Croatia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Hungary | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Indonesia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | India | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Ireland | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Iran | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Iraq | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Iceland | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Israel | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Italy | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Jamaica | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Jordan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Japan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Kazakhstan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Kenya | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Kyrgyzstan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Cambodia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | South Korea | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Kuwait | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Laos | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Lebanon | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Liberia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Libya | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Saint Lucia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Sri Lanka | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Lesotho | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Lithuania | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Luxembourg | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Latvia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Morocco | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Moldova | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Madagascar | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Maldives | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mexico | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | North Macedonia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mali | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Malta | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Myanmar | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Montenegro | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mongolia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mozambique | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mauritius | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Malawi | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Malaysia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Namibia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Nigeria | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Nicaragua | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Netherlands | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Norway | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Nepal | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | New Zealand | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Oman | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Pakistan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Panama | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Peru | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Papua New Guinea | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Poland | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Puerto Rico | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Portugal | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Paraguay | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Palestine | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Qatar | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Romania | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Russia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Rwanda | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sudan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Senegal | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Singapore | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Solomon Islands | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sierra Leone | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | El Salvador | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | San Marino | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Somalia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Serbia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Suriname | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Slovakia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Slovenia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sweden | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Eswatini | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Seychelles | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Syria | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Togo | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Thailand | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Tajikistan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | East Timor | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Tonga | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Trinidad and Tobago | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Tunisia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Turkey | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Tanzania | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Uganda | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Ukraine | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Uruguay | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | United States | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Uzbekistan | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Venezuela | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Vietnam | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Yemen | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | South Africa | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Zambia | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Zimbabwe | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
About this data
In marriage, women and men keep control over the property they bring in or acquire, and both have equal rights to manage joint assets, with consent required only for major transactions like selling or pledging property.