Gender Equity Index 2007: Countries Do Not Need to Be Rich to Treat Women Fairly

Rwanda, one of the poorest countries, has greater gender equity than the United States, where the status of women has significantly regressed. So says a new study by Social Watch launched in the context of the 51st Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women held in New York February 26-March 9.

Worldwide, the gender gap persists in all countries and the general trend is either very slow progress or no progress at all towards equality between women and men, according to the study. Social Watch is an international network of more than 400 citizens’ organizations committed to social, economic and gender justice.

The Gender Equity Index (GEI) has been developed to rank countries according to social indicators using internationally available and comparable data. The index ranges from 0 to 100, with lower values indicating greater inequity. The three dimensions included in the GEI are economic activity, empowerment and education.

Rwanda ranks in the third highest spot on the 2007 GEI list with a score of 84, after Sweden (89) and Finland (also 84) and followed by Norway (83). This impressive performance has been achieved through the application of affirmative action policies, such as legislation to ensure minimum quotas for women’s political participation and labour market equity.

„This demonstrates that it is not necessary to achieve high levels of economic growth or industrialization to implement effective policies to promote greater equity,“ said Karina Batthyány, the Social Watch research team coordinator.

Gender-based inequity is a phenomenon that transcends borders, cultures, religions, and income levels, stressed Batthyány. The achievement of gender equity is a challenge for the entire modern world because although its manifestations are diverse, the gap between women and men persists in all countries, she added.

To read the whole article: GENDER EQUITY INDEX 2007: Countries Do Not Need to Be Rich to Treat Women Fairly

Source: Social Watch