How are the GDI and the GEM used?
This is aimed to draw attention to gender issues. The GDI adjusts the HDI for inequalities in the achievement of men and women. A comparison of a country’s ranking on the HDI and its ranking on the GDI can indicate the existence of gender disparity. To illustrate that gender empowerment does not depend on income, it is useful to compare relative rankings on the GEM and the relative level of national income. For example, Poland ranks 27th in the GEM, ahead of Japan, in 38th place, yet income per person in Poland is about one third that of Japan’s (10,560 PPP US$ vs. 26,190 PPP US$ for 2002). The UK and Finland have very similar income per person (26,150 PPP US$ and 26,190 PPP US$ for 2002) yet in the GEM Finland ranks 4th, the UK 18th. Both indicators can be disaggregated to highlight gender inequality within countries, which can vary widely across regions.
