Lithuania has made significant progress in its Gender Equality Index, climbing to 14th place among EU countries, but still faces challenges in women's representation in business and politics.
According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), Lithuania scored 60.9 out of 100 in the Gender Equality Index last year, placing it 14th among EU states. The index has seen a notable increase of 7 points over the past five years, marking one of the fastest growth rates in the EU, second only to Malta and Ireland. A key factor in this improvement is the strengthening of gender balance in politics, where women accounted for 44% of the ministerial cabinet.
Despite the visible progress, experts like Dr. J. ReingardΔ stress that women's influence in both business and politics remains insufficient. The index score that reflects women's participation in political and business boards is a mere 34.6 points. In large companies, the representation of women in boards remains at only 28%, while the EU average stands at approximately 35%. Similarly, women's representation in the parliament continues to fall below the European average.
The article highlights the importance of recognizing women's roles and urges against underestimating their contributions while denying entrenched stereotypes. Although Lithuania has made strides, there is still significant work needed to fully achieve gender equality in all sectors, particularly in leadership positions, where women are still underrepresented in comparison to their male counterparts.
