Gender Development Index (GDI) and Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM)

<2/”>a >The GDI measures gender gaps in Human Development achievements by accounting for disparities between Women and men in three basic dimensions of human development—Health, knowledge and living standards using the same component indicators as in the HDI. The GDI is the ratio of the HDIs calculated separately for females and males using the same methodology as in the HDI. It is a direct measure of gender gap showing the female HDI as a Percentage of the male HDI.

Equality/”>Gender Equality has following dimentions:-

  • Equal access to basic social Services, including Education and health.
  • Equal opportunities for participation in political and economic decision-making.
  • Equal reward for equal work.
  • Equal protection under the law.
  • Elimination of discrimination by gender and violence against women.
  • Equal rights of citizens in all areas of life, both public – such as the workplace – and private such as the home.

Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) seeks to measure relative female representation in economic and political power. It considers gender gaps in political representation, in professional and management positions in the economy, as well as gender gaps in incomes .GEM is a measure of inequalities between men’s and women’s opportunities in a country. It gives indicators to explain ways in which the inequalities are associated with three components of development: education, EMPLOYMENT and political participation. The concept of empowerment can be explored through three interrelated dimensions: agency, Resources and achievements .

Detailed analysis of the dimensions of GEM are:-

GEM Dimension 1: ‘Political Participation and Decision-making Power’ Indicators: i) % Share of Parliamentary Seats (elected); ii) % Share of Seats in Legislature (elected); iii) % Share of Seats in Zilla Parishads (elected); iv) % Share of Seats in Gram Panchayats (elected); v) % Candidates in Electoral Process in National Parties in the Parliamentary election and vi) % Electors Exercising the Right to Vote in the Parliamentary election.

GEM Dimension 2: ‘Economic Participation and Decision-making Power’ Indicators: i) % Share of officials in service in Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service; and ii) % Share of enrolment in medical and engineering colleges.

GEM Dimension 3: ‘Power over Economic Resources’ Indicators: i) % Female/Male with Operational Land Holdings; ii) % Females/Males with Bank Accounts in Scheduled Commercial Banks (with credit limit above Rs. 2 lakh); iii) Share of Female/Male Estimated Earned Income Share per capita per annum.

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The Gender Development Index (GDI) and the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) are two composite indices developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure gender inequality in human development. The GDI measures the same basic dimensions of human development as the Human Development index (HDI), but it adjusts the HDI to account for gender inequality in life expectancy, education, and income. The GEM measures gender inequality in economic participation and decision-making, political participation and decision-making, and power over economic resources.

The GDI and GEM were first published in the 1995 Human Development Report. The GDI has been published every year since then, while the GEM has been published every other year since 1995.

The GDI and GEM are calculated for each country for which data is available. The GDI is calculated as a geometric mean of the following three indices:

  • Life expectancy index, which is the ratio of female life expectancy at birth to male life expectancy at birth.
  • Education index, which is the ratio of female mean years of schooling to male mean years of schooling.
  • Income index, which is the ratio of female per capita income to male per capita income.

The GEM is calculated as a geometric mean of the following three indices:

  • Economic participation and opportunity index, which is the ratio of female to male labor force participation rates plus the ratio of female to male earned income Shares.
  • Political participation and decision-making index, which is the ratio of female to male seats in parliament and the ratio of female to male ministers in the cabinet.
  • Power over economic resources index, which is the ratio of female to male agricultural land ownership and the ratio of female to male financial assets ownership.

The GDI and GEM are used to track progress towards gender equality and to identify areas where there is still a need for improvement. The GDI and GEM have been influential in raising awareness of gender inequality and in promoting policies to address it.

The GDI and GEM have been criticized for a number of reasons. One criticism is that they are based on Averages, which can mask significant disparities within countries. Another criticism is that they do not take into account the unpaid work that women do in the home. Finally, some critics have argued that the GDI and GEM are too focused on Economic Development and do not adequately measure other aspects of gender equality, such as violence against women.

Despite these criticisms, the GDI and GEM remain important tools for measuring gender inequality and for tracking progress towards gender equality. The GDI and GEM have been used to inform policy decisions at the national and international levels, and they have helped to raise awareness of gender inequality around the world.

In recent years, there has been a growing focus on the need to measure gender equality in a more holistic way. This has led to the development of a number of new indices, such as the Gender Inequality Index (GII) and the Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI). These indices take into account a wider range of factors than the GDI and GEM, including violence against women, unpaid work, and political participation.

The GII and WEI are still in their early stages of development, but they have the potential to provide a more comprehensive picture of gender inequality than the GDI and GEM. As these indices continue to be refined, they will be increasingly useful for tracking progress towards gender equality and for identifying areas where there is still a need for improvement.

What is gender equality?

Gender equality is the state of equal access to resources and opportunities for both men and women. It is a fundamental human right and essential for a just and sustainable world.

What are the benefits of gender equality?

Gender equality has many benefits for individuals, families, communities, and societies as a whole. Some of the benefits include:

  • Increased economic Growth and productivity
  • Improved health and well-being
  • Reduced POVERTY and inequality
  • Stronger democracies and more peaceful societies
  • Increased innovation and creativity
  • More Sustainable Development

What are the challenges to gender equality?

There are many challenges to gender equality, including:

  • Gender stereotypes and discrimination
  • Lack of access to education and employment opportunities
  • Violence against women
  • Poverty and inequality
  • Conflict and insecurity

What can be done to promote gender equality?

There are many things that can be done to promote gender equality, including:

  • Investing in education and employment opportunities for women
  • Addressing gender-based violence
  • Promoting women’s political participation
  • Ensuring access to health care and reproductive rights
  • Eradicating poverty and inequality
  • Promoting peace and security

What is the role of the United Nations in promoting gender equality?

The United Nations is committed to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. The UN has adopted a number of strategies and initiatives to achieve this goal, including:

  • The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995
  • The Millennium Development Goals, which include a goal to promote gender equality and empower women
  • The Sustainable Development Goals, which include a goal to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

The UN also works to promote gender equality through its work in a variety of areas, including:

  • Peace and security
  • Economic development
  • Education
  • Health
  • Human Rights

What can I do to promote gender equality?

There are many things that you can do to promote gender equality, including:

  • Educate yourself about gender equality and the challenges that women face
  • Speak out against gender-based violence and discrimination
  • Support organizations that are working to promote gender equality
  • Advocate for policies and programs that promote gender equality
  • Be a role model for others by demonstrating your commitment to gender equality

Gender equality is a fundamental human right and essential for a just and sustainable world. We all have a role to play in promoting gender equality.

  1. The Gender Development Index (GDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income equality for women and men. It was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a complement to the Human Development Index (HDI). The GDI is calculated as the geometric mean of the HDI for women and the HDI for men.

  2. The Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) is a composite statistic of women’s empowerment in three key areas: economic participation and decision-making, political participation and decision-making, and power over economic resources. It was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a complement to the Gender Development Index (GDI). The GEM is calculated as the geometric mean of the three sub-indices.

  3. The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income equality. It was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a way to measure a country’s overall development. The HDI is calculated as the geometric mean of the three sub-indices.

  4. The Human Poverty Index (HPI) is a composite statistic of poverty, education, and health. It was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a way to measure the extent of poverty in a country. The HPI is calculated as the geometric mean of the three sub-indices.

  5. The Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income equality that adjusts the HDI for inequality. It was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a way to measure a country’s development while taking into account the extent of inequality in the country. The IHDI is calculated as the geometric mean of the HDI and the inequality-adjusted HDI.

  6. The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is a composite statistic of poverty that measures deprivation in education, health, and living standards. It was developed by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) as a way to measure poverty in a more comprehensive way than traditional measures of poverty. The MPI is calculated as the Average of the three sub-indices.

  7. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals that were adopted by the United Nations in 2015. The goals are designed to be achieved by 2030 and are focused on a wide range of issues, including poverty, inequality, Climate change, and sustainable development.

  8. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were a set of eight goals that were adopted by the United Nations in 2000. The goals were designed to be achieved by 2015 and were focused on a wide range of issues, including poverty, hunger, education, gender equality, and environmental sustainability.

  9. The Human Rights Index (HRI) is a composite statistic of human rights performance. It was developed by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as a way to measure the extent to which countries are complying with international human rights standards. The HRI is calculated as the geometric mean of the four sub-indices.

  10. The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is a composite statistic of corruption perceptions. It was developed by Transparency International as a way to measure the perceived level of corruption in a country. The CPI is calculated as the average of the scores from 12 different surveys.

  11. The Global Peace Index (GPI) is a composite statistic of peace. It was developed by the Institute for Economics and Peace as a way to measure the state of peace in a country. The GPI is calculated as the average of the scores from 23 different indicators.

  12. The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a composite statistic of environmental performance. It was developed by Yale University and Columbia University as a way to measure the environmental performance of countries. The EPI is calculated as the geometric mean of the 24 sub-indices.

  13. The Good Country Index (GCI) is a composite statistic of national performance. It was developed by Simon Anholt as a way to measure how well countries are contributing to the common good of humanity. The GCI is calculated as the geometric mean of the 12 sub-indices.

  14. The World Happiness Report is a report that ranks countries by their happiness levels. It was developed by the United Nations Sustainable Development solutions Network as a way to measure the happiness of people in different countries. The World Happiness Report is calculated as the average of the scores from five different indicators.

  15. The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) is a composite statistic of competitiveness. It was developed by the World Economic Forum as a way to measure the competitiveness of countries. The GCI is calculated as the geometric mean