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Measuring Socio-Economic GENDER Inequality: Toward an Alternative to the UNDP Gender-Related Development Index

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  • A. Geske Dijkstra
  • Lucia Hanmer

Abstract

This paper assesses the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Gender-Related Development Index (GDI). Although the GDI has increased attention on gender equality in human development, it suffers from several limitations. A major problem is that it conflates relative gender equality with absolute levels of human development and thus gives no information on comparative gender inequality among countries. Using the same indicators as the GDI, the paper constructs a Relative Status of Women (RSW) index, which demonstrates how using a measure of gender equality that abstracts from levels of development results in very different country rankings. However, the RSW is not an ideal measure of gender inequality. The GDI indicators are not the most appropriate ones for measuring gender inequality and hence both the RSW and the GDI have limited validity. The paper concludes by offering a conceptual framework that provides the basis for an alternative measure of gender inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Geske Dijkstra & Lucia Hanmer, 2000. "Measuring Socio-Economic GENDER Inequality: Toward an Alternative to the UNDP Gender-Related Development Index," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(2), pages 41-75.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:femeco:v:6:y:2000:i:2:p:41-75
    DOI: 10.1080/13545700050076106
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sudhir Anand and Amartya Sen, 1995. "Gender Inequality in Human Development: Theories and Measurement," Human Development Occasional Papers (1992-2007) HDOCPA-1995-01, Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
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    5. Mark McGillivray & Howard White, 1993. "Measuring development? The UNDP's human development index," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 5(2), pages 183-192, March.
    6. Carmen Diana Deere, 1995. "What difference does gender make? Rethinking peasant studies," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(1), pages 53-72.
    7. John Komlos, "undated". "On the Significance of Anthropometric History," Articles by John Komlos 20, Department of Economics, University of Munich.
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