An Italian Gender Equality Index

Abstract

Composite indices like the Gender Equality Index (GEI) are widely used to monitor gender disparities and guide evidence-based policy. However, their original design is often limited when applied to subnational contexts. Building on the GEI framework and the WeWorld Index Italia, this study proposes a composite indicator tailored to measure gender disparities across Italian regions. The methodology, based on a variation of the Mazziotta-Pareto Index, introduces a novel aggregation approach that penalizes uneven performances across domains. Indicators cover employment, economic resources, education, use of time, political participation, and health, reflecting multidimensional gender inequality. Using open regional data for 2024, the proposed Italian Gender Equality Index (IGEI) provides a comparable and robust measure across regions, highlighting both high-performing and lagging areas. The approach addresses compensatory limitations of traditional aggregation and offers a practical tool for regional monitoring and targeted interventions, benefiting from the fact that the IGEI is specifically tailored on the GEI framework.