<–2/”>a >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 Empowerment Measure (GEM) is a composite statistic of gender inequality in three key areas of economic and political participation and decision-making. It was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a complement to the Human Development index (HDI).
The GEM is calculated as a geometric mean of three indices:
- Economic participation and opportunity measures the extent to which women and men participate in the labour force and are able to earn an income.
- Political empowerment measures the extent to which women and men participate in decision-making in government and other public institutions.
- Power over economic resources measures the extent to which women and men have control over economic resources, such as land, credit, and property.
The GEM is a valuable tool for tracking progress towards Equality/”>Gender Equality. It can be used to identify areas where women are underrepresented or disadvantaged, and to measure the impact of policies and programs aimed at promoting gender equality.
The GEM is calculated for 153 countries and territories. The highest score on the GEM is 1, which indicates that women and men have equal opportunities in all three areas. The lowest score is 0, which indicates that women have no opportunities in any of the three areas.
The GEM has been criticized for being too narrow in its focus and for not taking into account other important aspects of gender inequality, such as violence against women and girls. However, it remains an important tool for measuring progress towards gender equality.
The following are the subtopics of Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM):
- Economic participation and opportunity
- Labour force participation rate
- Female-to-male ratio of earned income
- Female-to-male ratio of professional and technical workers
- Political empowerment
- Seats held by women in national parliaments
- Seats held by women in ministerial positions
- Women’s participation in non-governmental organizations
- Power over economic resources
- Women’s ownership of land
- Women’s access to credit
- Women’s participation in business ownership
Economic participation and opportunity
The labour force participation rate is the Percentage of the Population aged 15 and older that is either employed or actively looking for work. The female-to-male ratio of earned income is the ratio of the Average income of women to the average income of men. The female-to-male ratio of professional and technical workers is the ratio of the number of women to the number of men employed in professional and technical occupations.
In 2017, the global labour force participation rate for women was 49.5%, compared to 75.3% for men. The female-to-male ratio of earned income was 0.74, meaning that women earned on average 74% of what men earned. The female-to-male ratio of professional and technical workers was 0.59, meaning that women were underrepresented in professional and technical occupations.
Political empowerment
The percentage of seats held by women in national parliaments is the percentage of seats in the lower or single house of parliament that are held by women. The percentage of seats held by women in ministerial positions is the percentage of ministerial positions in the government that are held by women. Women’s participation in non-governmental organizations is the percentage of women who are members of non-governmental organizations.
In 2017, the global percentage of seats held by women in national parliaments was 24.3%. The percentage of seats held by women in ministerial positions was 21.2%. Women’s participation in non-governmental organizations was 43.2%.
Power over economic resources
The percentage of women who own land is the percentage of women who own land or other real estate. The percentage of women who have access to credit is the percentage of women who have access to formal financial Services, such as loans and Savings accounts. Women’s participation in business ownership is the percentage of women who own or operate their own businesses.
In 2017, the global percentage of women who own land was 20%. The percentage of women who have access to credit was 42%. Women’s participation in business ownership was 13%.
The GEM is a valuable tool for tracking progress towards gender equality. It can be used to identify areas where women are underrepresented or disadvantaged, and to measure the impact of policies and programs aimed at promoting gender equality. However, the GEM has been criticized for being too narrow in its focus and for not taking into account other important aspects of gender inequality, such as violence against women and girls.
What is the Gender Development Index (GDI)?
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) in 1995 as a complement to the Human Development Index (HDI). The GDI measures gender inequality in three key areas: Health, education, and economic participation.
How is the GDI calculated?
The GDI is calculated by taking the HDI for each country and adjusting it for gender inequality. This is done by multiplying the HDI by a factor that reflects the difference between the actual and the potential achievement of women in each country. The potential achievement is calculated by assuming that women have the same level of education, health, and income as men.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the GDI?
The GDI is a valuable tool for measuring gender inequality. It is simple to understand and use, and it is based on internationally comparable data. However, the GDI has some limitations. First, it does not measure all aspects of gender inequality. Second, it does not take into account the unpaid work that women do in the home. Third, it is based on Averages, which can mask the fact that there is significant variation within countries.
What are some of the ways to improve gender equality?
There are many things that can be done to improve gender equality. Some of the most important include:
- Investing in education and health for girls and women
- Promoting women’s participation in the economy
- Eliminating violence against women
- Changing social norms and attitudes about gender
What are some of the benefits of gender equality?
Gender equality has many benefits for individuals, families, and societies. Some of the most important benefits include:
- Improved health and well-being for women and girls
- Increased economic productivity
- Reduced POVERTY and inequality
- Stronger democracies
- More peaceful societies
What are some of the challenges to achieving gender equality?
There are many challenges to achieving gender equality. Some of the most important include:
- Gender stereotypes and discrimination
- Lack of access to education and employment opportunities
- Violence against women
- Poverty
- Conflict and instability
What can individuals do to promote gender equality?
There are many things that individuals can do to promote gender equality. Some of the most important include:
- Challenge gender stereotypes and discrimination
- Support policies and programs that promote gender equality
- Speak out against violence against women
- Advocate for equal rights for women and girls
- Educate yourself about gender equality
- Be a role model for others
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The Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) is a composite statistic of gender-related development indicators. It measures the extent to which women have achieved equality with men in three key areas of economic and political participation and decision-making, and in educational attainment.
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The GEM is calculated by combining four indicators:
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The share of women in parliamentary seats
- The share of women in managerial positions
- The share of women in professional and technical occupations
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The female-to-male ratio of earned income
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The GEM was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1995. It is used to track progress towards gender equality and to identify areas where there is still need for improvement.
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The GEM has been criticized for being too narrow in its focus and for not taking into account other important aspects of gender equality, such as violence against women and reproductive rights.
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Despite its limitations, the GEM is a valuable tool for measuring gender equality and for tracking progress towards this goal.
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The GEM is calculated for each country and then ranked on a scale from 0 to 1, with 1 representing the highest level of gender equality.
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The top 10 countries in the GEM for 2020 are:
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Iceland
- Norway
- Finland
- Sweden
- Denmark
- Rwanda
- Namibia
- Ireland
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Switzerland
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The bottom 10 countries in the GEM for 2020 are:
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Yemen
- Afghanistan
- Pakistan
- Chad
- Niger
- Central African Republic
- South Sudan
- Somalia
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Mauritania
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The GEM has been shown to be a good predictor of economic Growth and development. Countries with higher levels of gender equality tend to have higher levels of economic growth and development.
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The GEM is an important tool for measuring gender equality and for tracking progress towards this goal. It is a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and advocates working to promote gender equality.
Here are some MCQs on the topic of gender equality:
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Which of the following is not an indicator of the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM)?
(A) The share of women in parliamentary seats
(B) The share of women in managerial positions
(C) The share of women in professional and technical occupations
(D) The female-to-male ratio of earned income
(E) The number of women who have been victims of violence -
The GEM is calculated on a scale from 0 to 1, with 1 representing the highest level of gender equality. Which of the following countries has the highest score on the GEM?
(A) Iceland
(B) Norway
(C) Finland
(D) Sweden
(E) Denmark -
The GEM has been shown to be a good predictor of economic growth and development. Which of the following statements is true?
(A) Countries with higher levels of gender equality tend to have higher levels of economic growth and development.
(B) Countries with lower levels of gender equality tend to have higher levels of economic growth and development.
(C) There is no relationship between gender equality and economic growth and development.
(D) The relationship between gender equality and economic growth and development is complex and not well understood. -
The GEM is an important tool for measuring gender equality and for tracking progress towards this goal. Which of the following statements is true?
(A) The GEM is the only tool available for measuring gender equality.
(B) The GEM is the most comprehensive tool available for measuring gender equality.
(C) The GEM is one of many tools available for measuring gender equality.
(D) The GEM is not a very useful tool for measuring gender equality. -
Which of the following is not an important aspect of gender equality?
(A) Economic participation and decision-making
(B) Educational attainment
(C) Political participation and decision-making
(D) Health
(E) Violence against women -
Which of the following is not a goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
(A) Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
(B) End poverty in all its forms everywhere
(C) Eradicate hunger, achieve Food Security and improved Nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
(D) Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
(E) Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all -
Which of the following is not a target of SDG 5?
(A) By 2030, eliminate all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
(B) By 2030, eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and