Gender Equality

Abstract

Gender equality is a human right explicitly recognized as such in article 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It is an essential feature of the quality of our societies. A “good society” must be sincerely and authentically committed to promoting and achieving gender equality. Therefore, measuring the level of gender equality achieved by European countries is an essential task. This chapter examines the conceptualization, operationalization and findings of five among the multiple composite indicators developed since 1984 to measure gender equality. European Gender Equality Index (EGEI) and Gender Equality Index (GEI) are two indices designed specifically to measure gender inequality in European countries, while Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) and Women‘s Economic Opportunity Index (WEO) are global indices. The Social Institution and Gender Index (SIGI) includes variables that characterize the context in which progress in gender equality is made in each country. For every index, different sections offer basic information about its conceptual and empirical framework, its process of construction and metrics together with the most recent available data.