Gender Equality National Report Hungary - European-microfinance ...

1.3. Methodology
Under the leadership of Evers and Jung, project partners developed a Gender
ScoreCard to evaluate the entrepreneurship environment in the 8 project countries. The
Gender ScoreCard was based upon a similar matrix evaluation system developed by FACET
BV, Evers and Jung, and the new economics foundation (nef) in 2005.
The Gender ScoreCard enabled each country team to collect information and assess
the environment for women entrepreneurs against the following 6 dimensions:
• General National Context for Entrepreneurship
• Gender Equality in Society
• Gender Equality in Labour Market Inclusion and Welfare Bridges to Self-
Employment
• Gender Equality in Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment
• Gender Equaltiy in Support Structures for Entrepreneurship
• Gender Equality in Access to Finance
These dimensions represent key factors affecting female self-employment and
entrepreneurship. During data collection each country team also gathered information on
gender equality and entrepreneurship initiatives. These are presented throughout the report
as good practice examples and short case studies.
As far as possible, the scores given to each of the six dimensions are based upon
quantifiable indicators and comparable data available from the World Bank, OECD, Eurostat,
Eurobarometer and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor global, national and women’s
entrepreneurship reports.
1.4. Gender and Equality Concepts and Definitions
This report uses a number of concepts to describe differences between women and
men and to describe programming approaches to inequality. Often these terms are used
inaccurately in the equality discourse. The purpose of this section is to define several of
these concepts, many of which are used in this report.
Gender - Gender is a concept that allows one to distinguish between sex, which is a
biological condition, and gender, the characteristics, attributes and roles assigned by society
to girls and boys, men and women. These characteristics and roles are not innate. They are
learned through both formal and information education and through messages and images
presented in cultural traditions and celebrations, religion and the media. Roles and attributes
associated with men and women differ from one society to the next and evolve over time.
Gender is an important concept because gender roles and gender relations directly and
indirectly influence an individual’s ability to take decisions and to have access to and control
over resources. Gender roles and relations have a direct impact on vulnerability to poverty
and exclusion.
Gender Roles refer to a set of behavioural norms associated with women or men in a
given social group, society or culture. Gender roles are divided into productive, reproductive
and community management roles. The type and concentration of men’s and women’s
activities in these three areas change from one society to another and evolve over time.
Gender Relations refer to culturally and historically defined systems that regulate
interactions between women and men.
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