Gender Equality Index

The Gender Equality Index is a composite indicator that measures the complex concept of gender equality and, based on the EU policy framework, assists in monitoring progress of gender equality across the EU over time.

The Gender Equality Index supports the development and implementation of evidence-based gender equality policies and legislation and shows the different outcomes of those policies for women and men. It also increases awareness of progress and challenges in implementing gender equality policies among decision-makers and the general public. Finally, the Index highlights data gaps and calls for harmonised, comparable and reliable data that are both disaggregated by sex and available for all Member States.

The Gender Equality Index consists of eight domains. The six domains work, money, knowledge, time, power, health which are combined into a core Index that is complemented by two additional, equally important, satellite domains of violence and intersecting inequalities. They belong to the framework of the Gender Equality Index in all respects, but do not impact the overall score. Each domain is further divided into sub-domains which cover the key issues within the respective thematic areas. The full conceptual framework is presented in the first edition of the Index.

Using this framework, 31 indicators have been chosen to monitor developments in gender equality in the six core domains in every Member State as well as the EU-28 in total. The Gender Equality Index is formed by combining these indicators into a single summary measure, which allows for the complex issue of gender equality to be synthesised into one easy to understand measure.