EU 'only halfway' towards gender-equal society

The average EU score for gender equality is 54 per cent, according to a statement released by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIDE), which asked "How can we move forward when half of us are being held back?"

To this end, the EIGE has announced it is launching the first Gender Equality Index for the EU.

"The Gender Equality Index shows differences in outcomes between women and men at the individual level in EU Member States," says EIGE director Virginija Langbakk.

"Gender-sensitive statistics help us better understand the hurdles we need to bring down to make all citizens truly equal, and the Gender Equality Index does just that. In our fight against unemployment, improving job opportunities for women is a matter of fairness, but it is also good for society and good for the economy," said European Council president Herman Van Rompuy.

The Gender Equality Index, proposed by the European Commission and developed by the EIGE, provides scores for each member state and presents an EU average in each of the following critical areas of gender equality: work, money, knowledge, time, power and health.

The areas of violence and intersecting inequalities are also considered as critical areas, but treated separately as they adopt a different perspective. 

The lowest score is in the area of power in decision-making, with an average score of only 38 at EU level. The greatest distance from gender equality is apparent in the representation of women and men on boards of the largest quoted companies, with an EU average score of only 23.3. 

The EIGE said the EU could reach the employment target set out in the 2020 growth strategy -  that of at least 75 per cent employment rate of the EU population aged 20 to 64 - by improving gender equality in the area of time spent on unpaid caring and domestic activities.

"Women's participation in the labour market is limited because of their disproportionate involvement in caring roles. The Gender Equality Index shows wide differences between women and men in this area, with an average score of only 39 at the EU level - well below halfway towards gender equality," the EIGE said.

The institute emphasized that in order to ensure sustainable growth for Europe, it is important to assure the equal share of hours spent on providing care between women and men.

"In parallel with creating new employment opportunities, it is crucial to improve childcare provision, as stated in Barcelona targets, and to intensify efforts to increase the involvement of fathers in childcare."

It went on to say EU institutions are committed to making the EU free from violence for all, but the Gender Equality Index shows there are no comparable sex-disaggregated data in this area at EU level.

"Because gender-based violence against women remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations of our time, one that is rooted in gender inequalities and reinforces them, the Gender Equality Index calls for all policymakers to address this gap."