Cross-Country Study of Central Asia and Central Europe: Gender Equality Issues

Abstract

The study investigates how gender stereotypes and economic differences influence gender inequality in emerging economies. The research aims to examine gender imbalances in Central Asia (CA) and Central Europe (CE) which share a long socialist history. The objectives of the paper are to collect data on both CA and CE regions and examine relationships between Human Development Index, Global Innovation Index, Gender Inequality Index, and Global Gender Gap. The relevance of actions and initiatives to promote gender equality in regions is emphasized. To consider the problem from the point of view of theory, we did a literature review of sociological, economic, and educational studies on gender and the formation of gender stereotypes using the Web of Science and Scopus databases and the Mendeley and Research Gate social networks. A comparative analysis of quantitative data of secondary information was carried out based on information from the countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and Central Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia). The study uses a quantitative correlation method. Countries with a high gender gap are expected to have lower human development and innovation levels. Central Asian countries have more significant gender gaps and gender inequalities than Central Europe. The value of the study lies in the attempt to recreate the big picture regarding the existing gender gaps in the countries with emerging economies, covering countries of Central Asia and Central Europe. Agencies of countries with emerging economies can use the study results to analyze scenarios and forecasts to develop labor markets and elaborate policies and programs to combat gender inequality.