Indicators of Gender Equality Work session on Gender

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

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!!

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

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

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

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.

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

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 socioeconomic 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

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

Ireland: recession or mancession? �Construction boom in Ireland masked changes in labour market Dwellings completed 100, 000 90, 000 80, 000 70, 000 60, 000 50, 000 . . . 40, 000 30, 000 20, 000 10, 000 0 1995 2000 2005 2010

Ireland: employment and unemployment Male unemployment Female unemployment Male employment Female employment 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Ireland: Participation rates Male participation Female participation Total participation 80 75 70 65 % Participation rate 60 55 50 45 40 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Ireland Unemployment rate for young people Men aged 20 -24 Men aged 25 -34 Women aged 20 -24 Women aged 25 -34 35 30 25 20 % 15 10 5 0 2001 2004 2007 2010

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%

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 Mc. Williams)

Eurostat EIGE UNECE Labour market Work Women & economy Earnings & social inclusion Money Women & Poverty (see note 1) Power Women in power Health Women & Health Harm Violence against women Education Knowledge Education & training of women Childcare Time Aggravating factors Note 1: Indicators on women in decision making on DG Justice database. Note 2: UNECE will also pay attention to 5 domains for which less information is available.

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?

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?

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