Gender Equality, a Priority for the Social, Economic, Political and Educational Development of a Country: The Case of Albania

Abstract

In this paper we have focused on measuring the gender inequality index in relation to some important indicators that reflect gender inequality in social, economic, political, and educational terms. Our study aims to reflect the differences in gender inequality through the gender inequality index for 2013-2020 in relation to these important indicators such as reproductive health, which includes maternal mortality per 1000 live births and fertility rate of teenagers. Another indicator is the empowerment, which includes the percentage of seats in parliament on a comparative basis by gender and completion of secondary or higher education by gender. Another indicator is the labor market, which includes the degree of participation in the labor market. Precisely, in relation to these indicators and according to the annual periods taken into consideration in the study, we have analyzed the index of gender inequality between women and men. Measuring gender inequality is very important for the fact that it highlights many problems related to the social, economic, political, educational development of a country. The data is provided by INSTAT (Institute of Statistics, Albania), based on social surveys and administrative resources by gender. The paper is based on the descriptive method, from which comparative statistical analysis related to the gender inequality index are derived through data processing, by years and by important indicators obtained in the study. This study is also focused on recommending some important policies to be undertaken by the government to improve the gender inequality index in relation to the indicators we have taken into consideration in our study.

Received: 13 July 2021 / Accepted: 26 August 2021 / Published: 5 September 2021