REPORT: Which EU Countries Are Leading (and Lagging) in Gender Equality?
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) has released the Gender Equality Index 2024, shedding light on the progress and setbacks in gender equality across the European Union. While there have been improvements in certain areas, the report makes it clear that there is still a long road ahead to achieving true gender parity.
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A Moderate Rise in the EU Gender Equality Score
The overall Gender Equality Index score for the EU in 2024 stands at 71.0 out of 100, marking an increase of 0.8 points compared to the previous edition. Since 2010, the EU has gained 7.9 points in total, with the most significant progress seen in the domain of power (+19.5 points). This progress indicates growing female representation in decision-making positions in politics and business.
While any progress is welcome, the rate of improvement is slow, and disparities among EU Member States remain striking.
Best and Worst Performers in the EU
Countries leading in gender equality include:
Sweden (82.0 points)
Denmark & Netherlands (78.8 points)
Spain (76.7 points)
Belgium & France (76.1 points)
On the other end of the spectrum, countries with the lowest scores are:
Hungary (57.8 points)
Romania (57.5 points)
Greece (59.3 points)
Slovakia & Czech Republic (59.9 points)
Croatia (59.7 points)
These figures highlight the persistent East-West divide in gender equality within the EU, with Western and Nordic countries generally performing better.
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Key Domains: Progress and Challenges
1. Health: The Highest Scoring Domain
With an impressive score of 88.6, health remains the most gender-equal sector. The access to healthcare sub-domainscores particularly high (97.6 points). However, this is also the domain with the smallest improvement since 2010 (+1.9 points), showing stagnation.
2. Power: The Most Improved Yet Unequal Domain
The domain of power (61.4 points)—which includes political, economic, and social decision-making—has shown the greatest improvement (+2.3 points since 2021). However, it remains the most unequal domain. The economic decision-making sub-domain is especially weak at 57.6 points, suggesting that women are still significantly underrepresented in leadership roles.
Despite improvements in many countries, five EU nations (Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Cyprus, Slovakia) have actually experienced a decline in power-related gender equality.
3. Work & Money: Slow and Uneven Progress
The work domain, which measures employment levels and job quality, increased by only 0.4 points since 2021. Participation in the workforce has slightly improved, but issues like job segregation and wage inequality persist.
Meanwhile, financial equality (money domain) improved by 0.8 points, thanks to slight increases in women’s earnings and financial independence. Still, the gender pay gap and pension gap remain critical issues.
4. Education: Challenges in STEM Representation
While education levels are relatively high for women, there remains a stark gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. Women remain underrepresented in these high-paying, future-oriented careers, which affects long-term economic equality.
5. Safety & Violence: Ongoing Concerns
The report highlights that gender-based violence remains a major issue across the EU. While the data does not directly measure violence, it suggests that policies aimed at tackling domestic violence, harassment, and online abuse need stronger implementation and enforcement.
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Convergence or Divergence?
One key finding of the report is that gender equality is improving at different speeds across Europe. While some countries, like Malta (+15.7 points since 2010) and Italy (+15.9 points), have made major strides, others have seen slower progress or even regression.
This suggests that while some EU policies and initiatives are working, the lack of uniform implementation across Member States prevents widespread, equal progress.
What Needs to Happen Next?
The EIGE report suggests several areas for urgent action:
Tackling economic disparities: Implementing stronger equal pay policies, increasing transparency, and promoting women in high-paying industries.
Closing the leadership gap: Encouraging more women in political and corporate leadership through quotas and mentorship programs.
Supporting work-life balance: Strengthening parental leave policies, childcare access, and flexible working conditions.
Addressing gender-based violence: Ensuring better protection, prevention, and prosecution against gender-related crimes.
Improving STEM education for women: Incentivizing young girls to enter STEM careers through scholarships, outreach programs, and policy reforms.
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While the EU has made moderate progress in gender equality, the pace remains too slow, and disparities between countries continue to be a major issue.
The fight for gender equality is not just a women’s issue—it’s a societal and economic imperative. Ensuring equal pay, equal leadership opportunities, and safety for women will boost economic growth, innovation, and social well-beingacross Europe.
With the 2024 report in hand, policymakers now face the challenge of turning statistics into action. The question is: will they rise to the occasion?
*This article is based on the findings from the European Institute for Gender Equality's Gender Equality Index 2024.
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