Abstract

The Gender Equality Index, developed by the European Institute for Gender Equality, has been an EU’s central monitoring tool for tracking gender equality since 2013. Over more than a decade, this composite indicator has provided policymakers with a consistent benchmarking framework to measure progress, identify persistent gaps, and support evidence-based decision making across Member States. As rapid societal and policy transformations—including digitalisation, demographic change, shifts in work patterns and recent global crises—reshaped the landscape, a comprehensive review of the Index was initiated in 2024–2025 to ensure the instrument remains fit for purpose and aligned with evolving EU priorities.
The review assessed the conceptual and methodological foundations of the Index, focusing on the continued relevance of existing indicators, the integration of emerging gender relevant dimensions, and the capacity of the Index to reflect contemporary policy needs. Following best practices in the lifecycle of composite indicators, the process evaluated data availability, robustness, conceptual validity, and comparability across Member States. Stakeholder engagement was a central component: policymakers, researchers, statisticians, civil society actors, EU agencies, and Member State representatives contributed through surveys, consultations and technical exchanges, ensuring the revised structure reflects diverse expertise and a shared vision for the future of gender equality metrics.
The revised GEI enhances policy relevance by incorporating improvements in areas such as digitalisation, care and intersectionality, while advancing statistical robustness through updated indicator sets, refined weighting, and methodological adjustments. This review demonstrates how systematic evaluation and modernisation of statistical tools can significantly improve the effectiveness, credibility and future readiness of composite indicators.