Only Italy has made more progress than Cyprus on the Gender Equality Index 2019 but the country still only ranks 20 in the EU28.
With 56.3 out of 100 points, Cyprus ranks 20th with a score that is 11.1 points lower than the EU’s score.
Between 2005 and 2017, Cyprus’ score increased by 10.4 points (+1.2 points since 2015). With faster progress towards gender equality than other Member States, Cyprus improved its position by eight places.
Cyprus’ highest scores are in the domains of health (88.4 points) and money (80.8 points), in which it also performs best in comparison to other Member States (ranking 13th and 14th).
Gender inequalities are most pronounced in the domain of power (28.2 points), where it also performs worse in comparison to other States (ranking 24th).
Since 2005, Cyprus’ scores have improved in all domains. The biggest improvements are in the domains of knowledge (+13.1 points) and power (+11.8 points).
Cyprus made slower progress in the domains of health (+ 2.6 points), time (+3.6 points) and work (+4.4 points).
Between 2005 and 2017, Cyprus’ Index score was below the EU’s score. Cyprus has improved faster than other Member States, reducing its gap with the EU’s score over time.
“The European Union has been moving towards gender equality at a snail’s pace,” said the European Institute for Gender Equality.
“With a Gender Equality Index score of 67.4 out of 100, the EU still has a lot of room for improvement. Since 2005, the EU’s score has increased by only 5.4 points (+1.2 points since 2015),” it added.
The EU is closest to gender equality in the domains of health (88.1 points) and money (80.4 points). Gender inequalities are most worrying in the domain of power (51.9 points).
Nevertheless, the score in this domain has improved the most since 2005 (+13 points), due to progress in nearly every Member State.
“Although the EU has progressed towards gender equality, developments are uneven between Member States.”
Sweden (83.6 points) and Denmark (77.5 points) are consistently the most gender-equal societies. Greece (51.2 points) and Hungary (51.9 points) have the longest way to go.
“Italy and Cyprus have improved the most (+13.8 points and +10.4 points), while Lithuania is the only country not to have made any progress in gender equality since 2005.”
“In some domains, progress has slowed, stalled or even regressed. We are still far from the finish line.”
