Global Forum on Gender Statistics Rome, 10-12 Dec. 2007

1. Global Forum on Gender StatisticsRome, 10-12 Dec. 2007 Engendering Statistics & Sensitizing Population Censuses In ESCWA Region Neda Jafar Statistics Division ESCWAjafarn@un.org

2. Contents • Introduction • Engendering Statistics • History of Population and Housing Censuses • Gender Mainstreaming in the National Statistical Systems • Gender Mainstreaming in the Population Censuses • Conclusion

3. International frameworks Beijing Platform for Action Strategic objective H.3. “Generate and disseminate gender-disaggregated data and information for planning and evaluation” Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, September 1995)

4. Tasks Forces Expert Groups Int. organizations Gender Units in NSOs Engendering Statistics - Regional Focus of work - • Evaluating and improving definitions, concepts, methods VIRTUAL LIBRARY • Improving skills in data production, analysis and dissemination Gender-based S statistical publications • Reporting and disseminating evidence-based statistics Gender Database & Framework • Monitoring and analyzing national compiled data

5. Gender Handbook & Manuals • Gender in MDGs: An Information Guide for Arab MDG Reports • Arabic translation of Handbook on: How to Prepare Statistical Publications on Women and Men • Development of National Gender Statistics Programmes (GSP) in the Arab Countries • Development of National Gender Statistics in Iraq (UNDG-IFT) • Interregional cooperation to strengthen social inclusion, gender equality and health promotion in the Millennium Development Goals • Toward More Gender-Responsive MDG Monitoring and Reporting in the Arab Region Gender Statistics Projects Regional Workshops & Fellowships • 4 Regional Workshop to prepare Women & Men Publications (1997-2003) • Workshop on Gender Statistics as a Tool for Policy Formulation and Analysis (2003) • Workshop on Time- Use Survey, (2007) • Fellowships of Iraq COSIT/Gender Unit to Jordan DOS/Gender

6. Gender-based statistical publications • 5Women and Men In the Arab Region: A Statistical Portrait – Education – Employment – Where Do Arab Women Stand in the Development Process? Arab Women in Public Life and Leadership • Health disaggregated database • (national : 1990-2006) • Arab GenInfo database UNSD DB + National reports Gender Database

7. Engendering Statistics – National Level • National workshops • National Gender-Based Country Reports • National Gender Statistical Booklets

8. National Gender-based Country Reports The reports include national work plans, overviews of national workshops, national strategies for improving gender statistics, and challenges in the preparation of national statistical. Algeria Egypt Jordan Lebanon Oman Palestine Qatar Syria Tunisia Yemen

9. National Workshops A series of national workshops were held in connection to the Development of National Gender Statistics Programmes in the Arab Countries (GSP).

10. National Workshops

11. National GenderStatistical Booklets National Women and Men Series Algeria: A Statistical Portrait Egypt: A Statistical Portrait Jordan: A Statistical Portrait Lebanon: A Statistical Portrait Oman: Women and Men Qatar: National Report on Women and Men Palestine: A Statistical Portrait The Syrian Arab Republic: A Statistical Portrait Tunisia: A Statistical Portrait Yemen: A Statistical Portrait Morocco: Women and Men 11

12. G IS IN Framework First Step: BPfA & MDG

13. Second Step: Issue Women in power and decision making Arab women’s participation in decision making is minimal. It is essential to highlight this discrepancy in order to take measures to ensure women's equal access to, and full participation in, power structures, and increase their capacity to participate in public life leadership. The unfair civil and family legislations and biased/ patriarchal legal systems, gender violence and other gender issues of concern will be effectively addressed when the “victims” are placed in the leadership positions.

14. Third Step: Indicators

15. Censuses History in the ESCWA Region • Population and housing censuses are implemented in 13 ESCWA MC with the exception of Lebanon. • Lebanon has no act to carry out a census. The first and last census was conducted in 1932. • NSO responsible for conducting the censuses • Except in Oman and UAE where census undertaking is assigned to the Ministry of Economy.

17. Collection through traditional questionnaire method, except for Yemen. • In 2004, Yemen used the short and long method in it last population census. • Home delivered questionnaires, self-filled by the head of household, and collected by the enumerators. • All member countries in the Region conduct de facto censuses, except for Bahrain.

18. MC adhere to international guidelines in conducting their censuses. • Active through ESCWA 2010 Population and Housing Census Task Force established in 2005 • Contributed to UN Principles & Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses revisions & translated the revisions • Discuss topics on rolling census, post enumeration survey, and harmonization of definitions and concepts

19. Mainstreaming Gender in the Statistical Systems • GS important for gender sensitive policy formulation and in development planning • Adequate gender-specific information would become available if and only if the whole statistical system becomes aware of the gender issues and takes specific steps • MC in GSP published gender-based national reports: include national work plans, workshops, strategies for improving gender statistics, and challenges.

20. A dearth of gender sensitive statistics • Certain dearth in attempts to analyze sex-disaggregated data with a gender lens • Few NSDS make explicit reference to gender related topics and the need to collect sex-disaggregated data • Few NSOs have established Gender Units • There are few specialized publications and surveys

21. Gender Mainstreaming in the Population Censuses • Gender Census Content • collect, compile and present disaggregated data by sex • analyze by and present with sex as a primary and overall classification • enhance census content by carrying out large-scale sample surveys to investigate specific gender issues in depth within census operation • publish Women and Men reports based on the population census data.

22. However, • very few exerting specific efforts to identify national gender issues to collect • most of the countries have not formulated concepts and definitions that would adequately reflect the diversity of women and men & capture all aspects of their lives • almost all member countries have not yet developed data collection methods that take into account stereotypes , social and cultural factors that might produce gender biases

23. Where do ESCWA member countries stand from the UN Recommended List of Topics?

24. Fertility and mortality

25. Economic characteristics

26. How many of the UN Recommended core tabulations are produced by member countries? • 63% maximum = Underproduction of census data •  Most produced tabulations by highest order : • educational characteristics • Economic & demographic and social characteristics • Household characteristics • Fertility and mortality • Geographical and internal migration characteristics • Disability characteristics • International migration and immigrant stocks

27. Gender Census operations • Data collection framework and instruments are gender biased. • Thorough review and a systematic engendering of each specific data collection instrument is required in its 3 phases: • pre-enumeration phase: gender-specific questions, modification and standardization of concepts and definitions, preparation of standard classification of occupation and industry, and training enumerators to be gender sensitive • enumeration operation: gender sensitization of respondents, publicity campaigns, supervision of enumerators to ensure a gender-sensitive enumeration process. • post-enumeration phase: developing special tabulation & publications

31. Conclusion • Gender is not fully mainstreamed in the Statistical Systems • National gender issues and concerns have not been investigated thoroughly • Shortage in including UN recommended minimum set of topics and tabulations within the overall contents

32. Population census operations are not gender sensitized in all its phases and does not make use of all the different tools • There is underproduction of gender data • There is underreporting on gender issues using census results • There is a serious lack of gender literacy at all levels

33. There is a need to improve the coverage of women and provide good gender statistics & detailed information at the sectoral level • There is a need to enhance the census content by carrying out large-scale sample surveys to investigate specific gender issues in depth within census operation

34. Thank you