The Global Gender Gap Index 2010

The Global Gender Gap Index 2010 
Ricardo Hausmann, Harvard University 
Laura D. Tyson, University of California, Berkeley 
Saadia Zahidi,World Economic Forum 
World Economic Forum - Geneva, Switzerland 2010 
  
Available online PDF [334p.] at: http://bit.ly/9RPlNg 
“….., is a framework for capturing the magnitude and scope of gender-based disparities and tracking their progress.
The Index benchmarks national gender gaps on economic, political, education- and health based criteria, and provides country rankings that allow for effective comparisons across regions and income groups, and over time. 
The rankings are designed to create greater awareness among a global audience of the challenges posed by gender gaps and the opportunities created by reducing them. The methodology and quantitative analysis behind the rankings are intended to serve as a basis for designing effective measures for reducing gender gaps. 
  
The first part of this chapter reviews the underlying concepts employed in creating the Global Gender Gap Index and outlines the methods used to calculate the Index. The second part of this chapter presents the 2010 rankings, global patterns and regional performance and calls attention to notable country cases. Next, we provide an overview of the links between gender gaps and the economic performance of countries. In the fourth part of this chapter, we have also provided information on the trends revealed by the Index in the five years that we have been producing it. 
The Country Profiles contained in Part 2 of this Report give a more detailed picture of the relative strengths and weaknesses of each country’s performance compared with that of other nations. The first page of each profile contains detailed information on over 30 gender-related variables, presenting both the original data used to create the Index and other variables that reflect some of the legal and social factors affecting gender disparity in each country. 

Measuring the Global Gender Gap - There are three basic concepts underlying the Global Gender Gap Index:
First, it focuses on measuring gaps rather than levels.
Second, it captures gaps in outcome variables rather than gaps in means or input variables. 
Third, it ranks countries according to gender equality rather than women’s empowerment. ………”
Preface
PART 1: MEASURING THE GLOBAL GENDER GAP 
The Global Gender Gap Index 2010 
Appendix A: Tracking the Gender Gap over Time 
Appendix B: Regional and Income Group Classifications, 2010 
Appendix C: The Spread of Minimum and Maximum Values by Indicator 
PART 2: COUNTRY PROFILES 43 
List of Countries 
User’s Guide: How Country Profiles Work