Advancing Gender Data and Statistics in Africa

A report for the Gender Data Network, commissioned by UNECA This report provides an overview of the activities of the Gender Data Network (GDN) since its inception in 2019. It draws upon a range of evidentiary sources, including project documents, GDN and partner publications, key informant interviews with GDN members and operating partners, as well as the transcripts of discussions. The report highlights a range of activities pursued by the GDN relating to data production and curation, as well as data communications and use. It finds that, for a network still in its comparative infancy, the GDN has had a sizeable impact in the field of gender data across Africa. Through collaboration and information-sharing, a range of innovative and experimental projects have been trialed and, where successful, replicated across countries. Furthermore, members of the GDN have gained access to a continental network of gender data practitioners, through which they have…

Transforming the Data Landscape: Solutions to Close Gender Data Gaps

Despite decades of investment in promoting gender equality, gender data gaps continue to impede understanding of the lived experiences of women and girls. A lack ofsex-disaggregated data encumbers efforts to craft and monitor the effectiveness ofevidence-based policies that address gender inequalities. Moreover, even where thesedata are available, they are often underutilized. Transforming the Data Landscape: Solutions to Close Gender Data Gaps shifts the conversation from identifying gender data problems to finding practical solutions to gender data gaps. This report and the accompanying Gender Data Solutions Inventory document innovative solutions that have emerged in the last five years. The inventory catalogs 142 solutions that are practical and, in many instances, scalable across six development sectors(economic opportunity, education, environment, health, human security and public participation). It also includescross-domain solutions focused on improving the governance of statistical systems andencouraging the use of data and statistics by policymakers and the public. Read the report.

Commitment Makers Must Prioritize Gender Data throughout the Generation Equality Process

When used to shape policies and investments, gender data has the power to accelerate gender equality. But to deliver on the promise of meaningful action and transformative change, Generation Equality stakeholders must prioritize gender data. Action Coalition leaders must ensure that data is featured throughout the finalized Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality, while commitment makers must ensure commitments are both data-driven and, where unavailable or underdeveloped, invest in the data needed to deliver on their goals. This brief analyzes the representation of gender data across the Action Coalitions, finding that of 207 total commitments, just 27 address gender data, or about 13 percent. Read the brief.

It’s Time to Make Bold Commitments to Gender Data

If there were ever a moment for big, bold, and catalytic commitments to gender equality, this is it. In the lead-up to the Generation Equality Forum, we’re calling on governments, philanthropies and bilateral donors, civil society, and the private sector to make meaningful and measurable gender data commitments to accelerate global gender equality. We know that more and better data leads to equitable, gender-informed policy—and that more effective policy produces better results for countries, economies, and communities all over the world. This brief outlines the essential components of a strong gender data commitment and provides sector-specific recommendations for developing and strengthening those commitments in tandem with other global stakeholders. Read the brief.

Using Violence Against Children Survey to Drive Change: A Case Study of Tanzania

How did the collection and use of sex-disaggregated survey data in Tanzania help catalyze action on the issue of violence against children? In 2008, seeking to catalyze action and change on violence against children — particularly sexual violence against girls — and increase awareness of the problem, the government of Tanzania, UN agencies, the United States government, and civil society worked together to design and implement a Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) in Tanzania. The data on violence against boys and girls and the VACS’ multisectoral methodology and government-led coordination process catalyzed and shaped long-term, multi-sectoral change. This case study recounts the story of how the data came to be collected and the factors that led to its uptake and impact. Read the case study.

Gender Data for Generation Equality: A Brief Series

In 1995, at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, world leaders made ground-breaking commitments to advance women’s rights through the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action—one of the most progressive roadmaps for gender equality to date. 25 years later, the fight for gender equality is far from over. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Beijing and stimulate renewed action and progress on gender equality, the Generation Equality Forum launched six thematic Action Coalitions designed to “advance new partnerships, implement targeted solutions, and report annually on progress towards collectively envisaged change” between 2021–2026. Quality gender data is fundamental across each Action Coalition and it must underscore Generation Equality efforts to catalyze progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, deliver results, and ultimately improve the lives of women and girls. In this brief series, Data2X is calling on Action Coalition leaders to: Use gender data to inform blueprints and concrete actions;…

How to Build Successful Partnerships Using Gender Data

“Successful partnerships have a lot of potential to make a significant change in the gender data space.” In this webinar hosted by Plus Social Good, Data2X’s Nina Rabinovitch Blecker and Equal Measures 2030’s (EM2030) Anne Connell join forces to discuss how to mobilize successful partnerships around gender data, drawing on experiences from Data2X and Equal Measure 2030’s ongoing partnership, as well as other partnerships related to various areas of Data2X and EM2030’s work. Watch the webinar.

Talking Data Feminism with Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein

“Data Feminism is a way of thinking about data that’s informed by direct experience, commitment to action, and intersectional feminist thought. This definition acknowledges that there is an unequal distribution of power in the world.” On April 15, Data2X convened over 300 attendees for a virtual book talk with Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein, the authors of the recently published book, “Data Feminism.” About Data Feminism:“Data Feminism offers strategies for data scientists seeking to learn how feminism can help them work toward justice, and for feminists who want to focus their efforts on the growing field of data science. But Data Feminism is about much more than gender. It is about power, about who has it and who doesn’t, and about how those differentials of power can be challenged and changed.” Watch the book talk. Learn more about the book.

Data Breaks the Silence on Violence Against Women: A Case Study of Vietnam

This case study explores Vietnam’s use of survey data to highlight and address the problem of violence against women.

Using Data to Address the Unpaid Work Burden: A Case Study of Finland

This case study explores Finland’s use of time use data to highlight the gendered division of unpaid work.