Malta rises in EU gender equality index but women still behind in power sharing

The latest Gender Equality Index from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) shows Malta gaining 10 points since 2010 on gender equality.

But with a score of 67.9 out of 100, the EU is at least 60 years away from reaching complete gender equality, at its current pace, improving by just half a point each year.

While Sweden, Denmark and France kept their top spots, the awards for most improved go to Italy, Luxembourg and Malta, with each gaining around 10 points since 2010. Greece, Hungary and Romania are lagging behind the rest.

Malta’s scores are the highest in the domains of health (92.0 points) and money (82.6 points). Its score in the domain of health is one of the highest among all countries (ranking third).

Gender inequalities are most pronounced in the domain of power (32.8 points). Malta ranks 22nd in the EU in this domain.

“We have seen small, steady gains year on year but this time we have a reason for concern. The coronavirus pandemic poses a serious threat to gender equality progress, which we cannot afford. More than ever, policymakers will need to use the results of our Index to design inclusive solutions that promote gender equality in our society, both during and after the pandemic,” said Carlien Scheele, EIGE’s director.

Improved gender equality in decision-making is the main driver of progress in the EU. The domain of power, which measures the engagement of women and men in decision-making in the areas of politics, economics, media, research and sports accounts for 65% of all progress in the Index since 2010. Yet with a score of 53.5 out of 100, it remains the lowest scoring domain.

Improvements have been biggest in the private sector, largely due to the improved gender balance on company boards. Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and the UK have almost a third of women on their company boards. France is the only country to have over 40%. While these countries have been helping to boost the score in this domain, the rate of change will soon slow down unless other countries start to catch up.

“Gender equality must be sought in all areas of life for all Europeans – regardless of their gender – to reach their full potential. The Gender Equality Index is a crucial tool in this quest as it tracks progress. I congratulate those countries that have improved their score over the past year. Nonetheless, there is still a long road ahead in many aspects, particularly in the digital world. As our present and future are increasingly digital, we need to ensure that women and girls occupy their fair share of this sector and are encouraged to contribute towards its growth,” said Helena Dalli, European Commissioner for Equality.