A UK sub-national gender equality index: challenges in developing a conceptual framework

TY - BOOK

T1 - A UK sub-national gender equality index: challenges in developing a conceptual framework

AU - Schmid, Caitlin

AU - Cook, Rose

AU - Jones, Laura

PY - 2021/4

Y1 - 2021/4

N2 - Gender inequality remains a persistent problem in the UK, affecting multipledimensions of women and men’s lives. Mounting evidence of neighbourhoodeffects on socio-economic outcomes suggests that gender inequalities areexperienced differently across local areas. For potential policy interventions tobe effective, we need to understand the spatial variations in gender inequalityin the UK.To date, no sub-national measurement of gender equality exists for the UK. Forthis reason, the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership (GIWL) is leading aproject to develop a new index. This index will provide a benchmarking tool tocompare levels of gender equality across local areas, aiding further research andtargeted policy intervention.In this context, GIWL organised a stakeholder workshop to consult expertsand potential users on the conceptual framework of this new UK genderequality index. Participants were divided into focus groups reflecting sixrelevant domains of gender inequality, previously identified through a literatureand policy review: Power & Participation, Educations & Skills, Economicresources, Unpaid work & Care, Health & Wellbeing, and Violence. Thispolicy brief reports on the results of the workshop.The brief first introduces the background of the project and the aims of theworkshop in more detail. After this, the findings of the workshop are presented,starting with a discussion of the opportunities and challenges involved in thedevelopment of a UK gender equality index, as identified by participants. Thefive overlapping challenges relate to: intersectionality, data availability andquality, relative vs. absolute levels of equality, the level of measurement andthe aggregation of scores. Following this, the policy brief presents the concretemeasures to include within the index, as proposed by participants. On the basisof the findings, the paper finishes by formulating six guiding principles forthe development of a UK sub-national gender equality index as a resource forpolicy makers, researchers and activists in the pursuit of gender equality acrossthe UK.giwl

AB - Gender inequality remains a persistent problem in the UK, affecting multipledimensions of women and men’s lives. Mounting evidence of neighbourhoodeffects on socio-economic outcomes suggests that gender inequalities areexperienced differently across local areas. For potential policy interventions tobe effective, we need to understand the spatial variations in gender inequalityin the UK.To date, no sub-national measurement of gender equality exists for the UK. Forthis reason, the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership (GIWL) is leading aproject to develop a new index. This index will provide a benchmarking tool tocompare levels of gender equality across local areas, aiding further research andtargeted policy intervention.In this context, GIWL organised a stakeholder workshop to consult expertsand potential users on the conceptual framework of this new UK genderequality index. Participants were divided into focus groups reflecting sixrelevant domains of gender inequality, previously identified through a literatureand policy review: Power & Participation, Educations & Skills, Economicresources, Unpaid work & Care, Health & Wellbeing, and Violence. Thispolicy brief reports on the results of the workshop.The brief first introduces the background of the project and the aims of theworkshop in more detail. After this, the findings of the workshop are presented,starting with a discussion of the opportunities and challenges involved in thedevelopment of a UK gender equality index, as identified by participants. Thefive overlapping challenges relate to: intersectionality, data availability andquality, relative vs. absolute levels of equality, the level of measurement andthe aggregation of scores. Following this, the policy brief presents the concretemeasures to include within the index, as proposed by participants. On the basisof the findings, the paper finishes by formulating six guiding principles forthe development of a UK sub-national gender equality index as a resource forpolicy makers, researchers and activists in the pursuit of gender equality acrossthe UK.giwl

M3 - Report

BT - A UK sub-national gender equality index: challenges in developing a conceptual framework

PB - Global Institute for Women's Leadership

ER -