moreover the main distinction of the sigi is that it focuses on rights as well as on social institutions that often are not codified in laws but are based on norms and values as well as attitudes and practices that shape womens opportunities and decisions branisa et al in addition the sigi is a more comprehensive measure considering other dimensions of gender inequality in social institutions it is a composite index which scores nonoecd countries on the basis of variables table l the scale of the sigi goes from meaning low discrimination to high level of discriminatory social institutions however it may still be a good measure of gender norms governing male behaviour and opportunities