Data2X looks a lot different now than we did at our beginning in 2012.
From then—a small start-up working to build a gender data revolution, to now—an alliance with full-time staff and strong institutional partnerships, our work has diversified and the gender data space has grown. And as Data2X has evolved, we’ve seen the attention on gender data evolve, becoming more widely understood as a development challenge we must fix.
Maintaining momentum around gender data is critical: the world is almost 10 years out from the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals and next year is the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Conference. And whether for the future-focused agenda of the SDGs, or evaluating progress on past commitments, quality production and use of gender data is necessary. The global community has yet to meet this challenge, but we hope to help shift that tide in the years to come.
Data2X has been working hard to build the case and mobilize action around gender data and strengthen gender data’s production and use. How do we effectively highlight the important work we are doing, but also the important work of our partners and other organizations? How can we fuel greater understanding of gender data for those who are new to this space and inspire renewed energy for those who have been in the space for decades? How do we best convene different communities to close gender data gaps and ensure that data is used and positive policies result?
For an organization like Data2X, focused on sharing information and convening action, a website is an invaluable tool to help answer these questions. That’s why I’m thrilled to launch our new Data2X website.
We hope the content and vision of our website continues to inspire everyone—the data and statistics communities, donors, civil society, academia, the private sector, and policymakers—to work towards closing gender data gaps and improving the lives of women and girls all over the world.
The intention of this website is threefold: to educate about the power of gender data; to showcase and celebrate our collective progress on gender data; and to propel global action on closing gender data gaps. It is simultaneously a celebration of how far we’ve come and a reminder of how far we need to go. I hope you explore the site and let us know what you think. Here are some of the new features I’m most excited about:
- Expanded and searchable Resource Center. Our new and improved Resource Center will house over one hundred resources authored by Data2X and others in the field. We’ve identified a set of foundational resources which can guide a new user through the basics about gender data. And it is searchable by topic and type, hopefully creating an easily navigable path to gender data information.
- Our new blog, The 2X Take. For the first time, Data2X has a blog where you can find thoughts about gender data-related issues written by our team. We are currently featuring blogs on issues ranging from gender-sensitive urban planning and the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, to the kinds of statistical questions we ask about gender data. We look forward to featuring many voices in this space so please reach out if you have a pitch.
- Gender Data Glossary. Over the last six years, we’ve reached many audiences—from policymakers, international data and statistics experts, and private sector companies to media and the general public—and have observed that while building a movement requires multiple stakeholders, it’s important that everyone shares the same understanding of key terms for the field. Reflecting on queries we’ve received over the years, we thought it would be helpful to compile definitions for some of the most frequently asked terms related to gender data. This glossary draws on a variety of sources including the UN Statistical Division, the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank Group, and will hopefully serve as an easy-to-access resource for all.
Our new website is more than just a website; it is part of a vision that is bringing us closer to a world in which good gender data is the norm, not the anomaly. A hearty “thank you” to all of our partners and friends for your continued support and the critical work that you do. We are excited and optimistic for what the future holds.