Gender and innovation: indicators and measurement gaps

Gender equity is receiving increased, worldwide attention, including within the field of innovation. In this article, we outline practical steps at various levels of operation that facilitate collecting and analyzing sex and gender indicators. Benefits are both intrinsic and instrumental, generating returns on investment for individuals, firms, and communities, as well as larger societies, economies, and ecosystems - locally and globally. At a minimum, measuring progress requires incorporating gender-disaggregated data into established indicators. Of the five innovation indicator platforms highlighted in the most recent Oslo Manual, only two appear to address gender. We conclude that all existing platforms and indicators should aim to disaggregate indicators by gender or justify their exclusion. Innovation indicator platforms that already collect information on gender-specific human resources involved in Science, Technology, and Innovation could further promote equity as well. Additional action, such as applying sex, gender, and intersectional analysis, further enhances the value-proposition. These, in turn, help develop, monitor, and evaluate evidence-based policymaking. Only through measurement can gender equity be tracked and achieved.