Democracies around the world are under growing threat. The rise of far-right authoritarianism has triggered a wave of democratic backsliding—marked by targeted attacks on civic space, judicial independence, media freedom, and, in particular, gender equality and human rights.
The suppression, manipulation, and destruction of gender data has become a key tactic used by authoritarian actors to erode gender equality and weaken democratic institutions. When gender data is manipulated or obscured, it weakens public debate, shields those in power from accountability, and undermines efforts to build inclusive and responsive public institutions that uphold the rights of all citizens, particularly women, girls, and gender-diverse people.
In the following policy brief, Data2X explores the connection between gender data and democratic health—and demonstrates that steady and ongoing investments in gender data are essential to safeguard and strengthen democratic resilience.