African Centre for Statistics

United Nations Economic Commission for AfricaUnited Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Towards a More Effective Towards a More Effective Production of Gender Production of Gender

Sensitive Data in African Sensitive Data in African Countries: Ongoing and Countries: Ongoing and Planned Activities by the Planned Activities by the

UNECAUNECAForum on Gender Statistics

10–12 December 2007, Roma, Italy

Dimitri Sanga, Ph.D.Senior Statistician

Outline Background

Countries’ Development AgendasWhy are Gender Statistics Critical?Gender Statistics Challenges in Africa

ECA’s Response to Gender Statistics Challenges

The Way Forward Conclusions

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BackgroundBackground

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Countries’ Development Agendas

National, regional, and international initiatives aimed at promoting economic and social development in African countries NEPAD adopted as a reference framework for

the Africa’s development (2000)The Millennium Declaration (2000, MDGs)The Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSs)

All these initiatives recognize that women and men face different socio-economic challenges

To be effective, they therefore, need to reflect the situation of women and men

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Why are Gender Statistics Critical?

Thus, the importance of gender statistics in the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of these initiatives and others

Gender statistics: Data collected, compiled and analyzed taking in consideration that gender-based factors influence women’s and men’s economic, social conditions, relations, and access to resources

Gender statistics ≠ Sex disaggregated statisticsSex: exogenous biological differences of men and

womenGender: socially constructed differences

between sexes (endogenous) 5

Why are Gender Statistics Critical?

(Cont’d) Gender statistics:

Allow for unbiased evidence-based policy formulation and decision making

Address issues of inequalities and empowerment of women

Raise consciousness, persuade policy makers and other stakeholders to take into account the gender dimension in policy and decision making

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Gender Statistics Challenges in Africa

Inadequate advocacy for gender statistics: lack of strong commitment to gender statistics development by NSS

Lack of mainstreaming of gender statistics in statistical programmes and activities

Lack of technical skills and adequate statistical infrastructure (sampling frames, classifications, concepts, definitions and methods)

Inadequate gender sensitive data management (archiving, analysis, and dissemination)

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ECA’s Response to ECA’s Response to Gender Statistics Gender Statistics

ChallengesChallenges

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Selected UNECA’s Initiatives

ECA’s initiatives aimed at addressing gender statistics challenges include:The development of the African Gender

and Development Index (AGDI)Engendering the P&R on Population and

Housing CensusesSetting up an African gender statistics

networkEngendering agricultural and trade

statisticsDissemination of methodologies and tools

for the development of gender sensitive data

Advocating and initiating the undertaking of Time Use surveys

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The AGDI A composite index made of two

components:The Gender Status Index (GSI): captures

quantitatively measurable issues related to gender equality

The African Women’s Progress Scoreboard (AWPS): measures government policy performance regarding transformation of social institutions that affect women’s advancement and empowerment

3 blocks, 7 components, 12 sub components, 42 indicators

Some desirable features of the AGDI? Incorporation of qualitative issuesMonitoring mechanism to assess performance in

implementing the various instruments African countries have ratified (CEDAW, BPFA, ACHPR, etc.)

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Engendering the P&R on Population and Housing

Censuses Importance of PHCs:Primary source of information about the

number and characteristics of a given population

Completeness of coverage and the details they provide about the population in local areas provide a need that no other data source can meet

Provide the sampling frame for many other statistical infrastructures (surveys)

The sole source of information on population and housing characteristics for some countries

A potential source for gender-based information at the lowest level possible

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Engendering the P&R on Population and Housing

Censuses(Cont’d)

Review and recommendations on how to take into account gender perspectives in census undertaking in the framework of the 2010 RPHC

Built on:On-going work on the AGDI and its

sectoral componentsTools on gender statistics and time use

developed by the UNSD and the UNECAOn-going work on the African

Supplement to the P&R on PHC undertaken by the UNECA

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Engendering the P&R on Population and Housing

Censuses(Cont’d) Review various stages of PHCs with a

view to engender them Planning and design:

selection of topics, coverage, and frame shall reflect gender relations an opportunities

Methodology: concepts, definitions, questionnaire, coding

shall reflect gender diversities in the society Data collection, capture and treatment:

respondents, imputation, quality checks Data analysis, presentation, and

dissemination:tabulations, outputs

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The Way Forward Extend the AGDI to more African

countries Advocating for the creation of

gender statistics units in NSOs Putting in place a regional

gender statistics programme Considering the creation of an

African gender statistics City Group under the umbrella of the Statistical Commission for Africa

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Conclusions Mainstreaming gender within NSS is

of paramount importance

NSOs need to be provided with adequate resources to coordinate and generate relevant Gender sensitive data and make them accessible to the public at large

Reinforcing the capacity for the production and use of gender responsive data is crucial in the formulation of comprehensive gender sensitive policies that benefit the entire society

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Thank Thank you!you!

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