Which UN index measures loss of achievement due to gender inequality, based on reproductive health, employment, and general empowerment?

• A. Gender Inequality Index (GII)
• B. Human Development Index (HDI)
• C. Global Gender Gap Index
• D. Inequality-Adjusted HDI

Answer: (A)

The concept here is a measure that captures how gender inequality trims potential development by quantifying the “loss” across key areas where women and men differ. This index does that by looking at three interrelated dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment, and labor market participation. Reproductive health is reflected in metrics like maternal mortality and adolescent birth. Empowerment is shown through indicators such as the share of parliamentary seats held by women and educational attainment gaps between women and men. Employment is captured by women’s participation in the labor force. Taken together, these components express how much potential progress in human development is lost because of unequal gender conditions—the higher the value, the greater the loss.

This framing is what distinguishes it from the others. The HDI measures average achievements in health, education, and living standards for the whole population, without focusing on gender gaps. The Global Gender Gap Index tracks gaps between genders across several areas but centers on the size of those gaps rather than translating them into a single measure of “loss to development.” The Inequality-Adjusted HDI adjusts the HDI for inequality in general, not specifically for gender.