Luxembourg ranks 7th on EU Gender Equality Index

Luxembourg scored 75.4 on the 2024 Gender Equality Index, reflecting a notable improvement over the previous year and a significant jump of more than 14 points from 2010. This progress is attributed to a narrowing of the gender pay gap and a reduction in the disparity between men and women holding higher education or university degrees.

Sweden, meanwhile, achieved the highest score in the EU ranking with 82.0 points, while Romania came last with 57.7 points.

Luxembourg surpasses the EU average by 4.4 points, with great strengths found in the domain of power. This area, encompassing political and economic influence, has seen Luxembourg's score rise by 42.4 points over the long term, reflecting a broader commitment to gender parity in decision-making positions.

The report highlights Luxembourg's strongest performance in the domain of money, where it leads the EU with a score of 94.1, supported by the highest financial resource sub-domain score in the region. However, significant challenges remain in the domain of time, where Luxembourg ranks 18th due to a declining score in social activity engagement.

Room for improvement

Progress in gender equality has been uneven. The domain of knowledge saw a setback due to increased educational segregation, while political representation for women experienced a slight decrease at the national level despite legal quotas for gender balance in parliamentary election lists. On the economic front, women occupy 44% of central bank board seats, close to parity, but representation on boards of major listed companies remains below the EU average.

The report underscores that disparities in gender equality across the EU are narrowing, but Luxembourg's faster-than-average progress has widened its gap with other member states. While the country excels in many areas, ongoing attention to domains like time and broader structural inequalities will be essential to sustaining and deepening its advancements in gender equality.