Indicators of Gender Equality

1. Indicators of Gender Equality Work session on Gender Statistics Geneva, 12-14 March 2012 Discussant - Helen Cahill CSO Ireland

2. Why do Gender Indicators matter? • “..Achievement of equality between women and men.. A matter of human rights..” (Beijing Platform for Action) • “..Gender indicators..Measure whether or to what extent gender equality is being achieved..” • What is measured gets attention!!

3. UNECE Task Force on Indicators of Gender Equality • Compiling gender equality indicators for the UNECE region • Starting point = minimum set of gender indicators being compiled by UN Advisory Group on Gender Statistics Database and Indicators • Set of indicators will be fairly small • Hierarchy of headline and supporting indicators • Outlined the selection criteria being used • Named the domains on which the Task Force is focusing

4. European Gender Equality Institute • Introducing the composite European Gender Equality Index (GEI) over a set of domains • Aim to propose a set of dimensions which adequately map the concept of gender equality • Main starting point is EU’s gender equality policy which has 2 overall objectives: • Equal distribution • Dignity and integrity

5. Statistical Office of the European Union • Introducing dedicated area on Gender equality indicators launched on Eurostat website • Main purpose to extend the visibility of gender statistics • Not to duplicate work done elsewhere • Indicators were chosen based on EU policies (e.g., Women’s charter 2010) • Main criteria used in selection were: • Relevance, data availability, comparability, easy to understand

6. Statistics Lithuania • Reviews work on developing and producing data on gender statistics and indicators of gender equality • “..Statistics that reflect the differing realities of women’s and men’s lives are required to promote equality between the sexes..” • As gender issues become more important in Lithuania, data users say that the gender perspective should be a basic assumption guiding which data to collect and analyze.

7. FAO core gender indicators in Agriculture • Linked to 5 assets of DFID Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (human, natural, financial, physical, social) • And integrated with basic questions from FAO SEAGA framework: • Who does what? Who owns what? Who has access to/controls what? • Then linked to WCA and previous work by FAO on gender indicators in agriculture • Set of 18 core indicators: 16 on livelihood assets and 2 on livelihood strategies

8. FAO core gender indicators in Agriculture • Core indicators - Census of Agriculture in Moldova • Most core indicators can be calculated from the WCA • Basic statistical unit is holding/household • Core indicators will give basic picture of the socio-economic status of women and men involved in agriculture at the holding/household level • Further consultations with more member countries recommended to assess the current availability of the core indicators

9. UNECE paper • Gender indicators “... Highlight the contributions of men and women...and their different needs and problems” • In isolation the interpretation of some indicators may be misleading • Growing awareness that full understanding of gender imbalances requires a broad focus • For example, when seeking to understand labour statistics it is important that we look beyond employment and unemployment rates

10. Ireland: recession or mancession? • Construction boom in Ireland masked changes in labour market

11. Ireland: employment and unemployment

12. Ireland: Participation rates

13. Ireland

14. Background • Early school leavers rate: • 2005 Male 15.4% Female 12.6% • 2010 Male 12.6% Female 8.4% • School leaving exam results (age 18): Girls consistently outperform boys • Third level education for those aged 25-34: • 2005 Male 35.2% Female 44.6% • 2011 Male 39.1% Female 53.1%

15. Mancession*: a recession with disproportionate effect on men • In the past, less-educated young men found manual jobs in manufacturing – this sector of the economy has been in decline for many years now in Ireland • The construction boom offset the reduction in manual manufacturing jobs • However the bubble bursting in construction has exposed the implications for young men of not going on for further education/training • (*Thanks to newspaper article by David McWilliams)

17. Questions for presenters • European Institute for Gender Equality: • What weights will be used? • Will they consider headline and supporting indicators? • UNECE: • Likely timescale? • Can we see provisional list of indicators? • Has a composite index been considered?

18. Questions for presenters • Eurostat: • Could indicators from DG Justice database on women in decision making be hosted on Eurostat website also? • Of the gender equality indicators on Eurostat website, which are the most popular for users? • Lithuania: • Does area of gender statistics come under pressure in this time of economic downturn? • What are the reasons why more women were employed than men in 2010?

19. Suggestions to delegates • Questions for the presenters???? • Do you think that the domains covered by Eurostat, UNECE and EIGE are adequate? • Do you believe that all important policy issues have been covered? • Please share specific examples of your national experiences as they relate to points raised in the presentations