"In 2001 there were around 30.2 million women in the UK, compared with 28.6 million men; women accounted for 51 per cent of the population. A recent comprehensive review of statistics on women's and men's position in Britain finds that differences between men and women are getting smaller over a wide range of areas from employment to education and health.The aim of this project, which was carried out by the Institute for Employment Studies for the Women and Equality Unit (WEU) in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), was to identify a set of key indicators which accurately and meaningfully map women's position relative to that of men across a wide range of areas, and to draw together statistics from a wide range of sources and with a common reference date to provide a comprehensive overview and a reliable baseline against which future changes and improvements can be monitored. The key indicators cover economic activity and employment; work-life balance; education and training; financial resources; participation in public life; health; crime; and transport.The article outlines the main indicators, concentrating on those relating to or relevant to the labour market. For example women live longer than men on average, although the gap is expected to narrow slightly over the next 25 years. Women's labour market participation has increased over recent years and their employment rates have risen, whereas men's participation in the labour market has declined slightly. Flexible working patterns have increased for both men and women in recent years, and around six million people in employment now work flexibly. Girls now perform better than boys in education and in getting qualifications.The article also describes the likely programme for updating the indicators."

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