EIGE's publications

Despite progress across Europe, full gender equality remains at least 50 years away, according to EIGE’s 2025 Gender Equality Index which introduces new indicators and a renewed pace of change. The revised Index for 2025 opens a new chapter, setting a new baseline for gender equality that is no longer comparable with the previous Index scores. With a refreshed structure...

Europe has evolved since the Gender Equality Index launched in 2013. So have the jobs we do, the care we give, and the ways we learn, work and live online. Now, in response to this progress, the Index has been carefully reviewed and refreshed. Its purpose remains the same, but the way we measure certain areas has been updated to...

In January 2017, EIGE took over the database on women and men in decision-making (WMID), which was previously managed by the European Commission. The WMID entry point had been launched in 2003 to monitor the numbers of men and women in key decision-making positions to provide reliable statistics that can be used to draw comparisons between European countries and analyse...

The Communications Lab (Comms Lab) is EIGE’s approach to advancing gender equality through effective communication. The Lab helps us to respond to a rapidly evolving communication landscape — one marked by both progress and backlash, including anti-gender disinformation. Between 2023 and 2025, the Comms Lab tackled one of the most urgent challenges in gender equality: how to communicate effectively about...

Migration to the European Union (EU) has increased significantly in recent years, driven by conflict, climate change and geopolitical instability. While global data is limited, available evidence indicates that these crises disproportionately impact women and girls, increasing their exposure to gender-based violence (GBV). Migrants – particularly those who are forcibly displaced or undocumented or face intersecting forms of discrimination –...

Even with growing awareness and progress, gender stereotypes still run deep across the EU. They are built into our cultures, institutions, relationships and behaviours, shaping how women and men see themselves and each other. Stereotypes affect the choices people make, the opportunities they get and how they experience life at home and in public. Gender stereotypes influence the way public...

The European Protection Order (EPO) is a legal instrument that helps ensure that victims of gender-based and other forms of violence who are protected by national protection measures in one EU Member State remain protected if they decide to travel or move to another Member State. The EPO is designed to protect a person against a criminal act that may...

The future is an ever-present consideration for those engaged in advancing gender equality, with a constant focus on striving towards gender-equal futures. Foresight aims to systematically engage with possible and desirable futures to orient today’s actions and decisions towards improving long-term outcomes. By identifying and anticipating change with the help of foresight, we can equip ourselves with options to proactively...

EIGE’s research on femicide has focused on the definition and measurement of femicide as a specific crime, due to the gendered nature of the killings and dynamics of power imbalance between women and men. EIGE supports Member States in collecting administrative data on femicides within the context of intimate-partner relationships, domestic relationships or any relationships. This policy brief presents the...

Institutional mechanisms for gender equality and gender mainstreaming are bodies and processes that promote, advocate and support gender equality and the mainstreaming of gender issues across all policy areas. The underlying premise of calls for stronger institutional mechanisms is that the existing gender inequalities in all areas of life need to be better recognised and understood and then systematically addressed...

The EU is navigating profound global and internal challenges that require coordinated, forward-thinking solutions. Gender equality emerges as a critical enabler of EU success in addressing these challenges and achieving its objectives in uncertain times. The Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), established at the fourth UN World Conference on Women in 1995, remains more relevant than ever. It serves as...

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) monitors the gender balance among key decision-makers biannually for the largest listed companies in the EU and annually for central banks and European financial institutions. Regular monitoring is crucial for assessing progress in achieving new legislative targets. This brief provides an overview of the 2024 status and current trends related to gender balance...