Gender equality index : measuring progress in the EU since 2005

The Gender Equality Index is a unique measurement tool that synthesises the complexity of gender equality into a user‑friendly and easy‑to‑understand measure. Based on the European Union policy framework, it assists the monitoring of progress in gender equality over time across the EU. The Gender Equality Index consists of six core domains (work, money, knowledge, time, power and health) and two satellite domains (intersecting inequalities and violence). It is calculated by combining gender indicators into a single summary measure. The index assigns scores for Member States between 1 for total inequality and 100 for full equality. It measures not only gender gaps between women and men, but also takes into account the country context and the different levels of achievement of Member States in various areas. A high overall score reflects both small (or absent) gender gaps and a good situation for all (e.g. high involvement of both women and men in employment). The Gender Equality Index 2015 measures how far (or close) the EU and its Member States were from achieving gender equality in 2005, 2010 and 2012. It provides results for each domain and subdomain. It also presents the first attempt to calculate a composite measure for violence against women.