The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) has released its 2024 Gender Equality Index, highlighting slow progress towards achieving a “union of equality” within the EU. Amid ongoing political and economic uncertainties, EIGE warns against complacency in addressing persistent gender gaps.  

The Index reveals significant disparities among Member States, with Sweden leading at 82 points and Romania trailing at 57.5. Malta, Czechia, and Lithuania showed the most improvement this year, with gains of +2.3, +2.0, and +1.7 points respectively since 2023. However, eight countries—Czechia, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia—are lagging further behind.

EIGE Director Carlien Scheele emphasized the importance of sustained commitment, stating, *“Gender equality is the foundation for a stronger Europe. Progress is possible, but only through bold, sustained action. We must prioritize gender equality to address our greatest societal challenges and build cohesive communities.”*  

 Key Insights from the 2024 Index

- Diverging Trends: While 15 countries moved closer to the EU average, eight Member States are progressing more slowly, widening the regional gap.  
- Power Domain: This area saw the most significant gains, improving by +19.5 points since 2010 and +2.3 points since 2023, reflecting increased gender parity in decision-making.  
- Setbacks in Representation: For the first time since 1979, the proportion of women MEPs decreased.  
- Health Challenges: Gender equality progress in health has been the slowest (+1.8 points since 2010), with deteriorating health outcomes for both women and men.  
- Workplace Stagnation: Advances in the domain of work have stalled, with gender gaps most pronounced among couples with children.  
- Financial Gaps: Women over 50 face growing financial inequality, underscoring the long-term impact of unpaid caregiving.  
- Educational Trends: Women outperform men in higher education, but entrenched segregation in fields of study limits overall progress.  
- Time Inequality: Women continue to shoulder the majority of unpaid care responsibilities, constraining their participation in work and leisure activities.  

The report underscores that gender-based violence remains a pervasive barrier, impacting women's progress across all domains. EIGE’s forthcoming 2025 Thematic Focus will incorporate findings from the new EU Gender-Based Violence Survey, providing further insights into this critical issue.  

This year’s findings reaffirm that progress on gender equality is achievable, but without sustained action, these gains remain vulnerable.

Source: https://eige.europa.eu/