Production of Gender Statistics: An overview of the Process

1. Production of Gender Statistics: An overview of the Process Inter-Regional Workshop on the Production of Gender Statistics New Delhi, India, 6-10 August 2007 By Grace Bediako Government Statistician Ghana Statistical service

2. How do are we measuring up? Gender-statistics-wise? How are we conducting the business of collecting, compiling and disseminating timely and reliable statistics for all stakeholders? Where are we in our respective offices? And where do we start? What can we do as individuals, gender desk officers, focal points, unit or programme officers to bring gender into focus in our work? Should we continue to do business as usual? It has been 12 years since Beijing? Why are things so slow to change? How can we do things differently?

3. What process are we following in our production of statistics? • Labour force survey? • Poverty (living standards/income and expenditure) survey? • Contraceptive prevalence survey? • Preparing statistical report: • MDG report? • Human development report? • Gender statistics report?

4. Four essential action blocks in the production of statistics • Define the key issues, problems, areas of concern on which to shed new or more light • Determine the statistics/indicators needed/required • Assemble all relevant data (including collecting new data, if necessary) • Analyse and disseminate the results

5. Statistics Production Process (1) Defining the issues • Identify policy related issues and concerns • Review underlying causes and consequences of differentials (observed or expected)

6. Statistics Production Process (2) Determine statistics needed • Define what statistics are needed • Identify the most relevant statistics and indicators to be processed

7. Statistics Production Process (3) Assemble relevant data • Assess adequacy of available data (with respect to coverage and content) • Review data quality • Identify data gaps • Adopt strategy for filling the gaps (from existing sources or new data collection)

8. Statistics Production Process (4) Analyse and dissiminate • Process and analyse data • Disseminate data and results of the analysis

9. Where are national statistical systems with respect to gender? • Have we made any progress… since…? • If maintain the status quo where will we be in another 10 to 15 years?

10. The Beijing Platform for Action Calls on national, regional and international statistical institutions to: • Ensure that statistics related to individuals are collected, compiled, analysed and presented by sex and age, and reflect problems, issues and questions related to women and men in society (para. 209 (a)). Engendering Statistics, Annex 2, p. 137.

11. Yet the prevailing situation in the statistical system… • Issues are defined without regard to gender differences or concerns • There is no obligation to produce data that reflect variations with respect to gender • Presentation and analysis of data by sex is not necessarily as a response to data needs but possibly by coincidence

12. The development of gender-sensitive indicators Has been slow because of a combination of factors: • Lack of understanding of how gender is relevant for broad development goals • Reluctance to change the traditional ways in which statistics have been compiled and presented • Lack of knowledge on how change can be effected • Indifference or lack of commitment to the concerns and issues of gender equality. • Need to consider practical ways of advancing the work on gender equality indicators

13. Major steps in the production process Defining data requirements Statistics required from various fields Defining issues Relevant statistics/indicators Dissemination Problems and questions on gender issues in society Assembling data Statistics to be analysed Data gaps Available statistics Analysis Required improvements in the situation of women and men Determine data sources Presentation Other sources Review quality Dissemination Goals for equal opportunity Review concepts, methods, classifications, etc. Collect new data

14. How can the approach be modified? Reformulate development issues USERS Problems and questions on gender issues in society of statistics Cooperate Needs for improvement of the situations of women and men PRODUCERS of statistics Goals for equal opportunity

15. Not all development issues easily translated to gender issues • In which areas do we have the most difficulty? • Erring on the side of gender neutrality • Fields not directly dealing with individuals, e.g., the economy, the environment • Erring on the side of one gender (often women are…) • When the issues of concerns affect one sex disproportionately, such as violence against women

16. Specifying the gender issues Addressing women’s and men’s concerns • Equal opportunities implies • Recognizing women’s and men’s realities in various phases of the life-cycle • Identifying differences in women’s and men’s life • Differentiating between what are desirable, tolerable, or deplorable • Gender and Development • Women in relation to men • Women’s and men’s economic and social conditions • Interrelationships between women and men • Ensure a more equitable development for both women and men • Women in • Development (WID) • Women in isolation • Women as a homogeneous group • Integrating women into development statistical system Feedback

17. This should lead to identifying gender-sensitive statistics • Not merely indicators which have been compiled and presented by sex (although a fundamental requirement); • But also reflect the relative levels of and differentials between women and men, girls and boys; • Present comparisons within age and socio-economic groups

18. Availability of data Identify statistics needed for the issues List the most relevant statistics and indicators Identify available statistics Determine data gaps

19. Utilization of available data Identify available data Review sources of data Generate statistics to be analysed Assess quality of data relative to need Identify new data needs Need for improvements in content, concepts, measurement, classifications

20. Fill data gaps Determine data gaps Investigate possible sources Need for improvements in content, concepts, measurement, classifications Generate statistics to be analysed Collect new data

21. Enhancing visibility of women and men in statistics Targeting different audiences PRODUCERS of statistics Analysis of data Feedback Cooperate Presentation USERS Dissemination of statistics

22. Components of gender statistics work • Identification of topics that represent concerns about gender relations and opportunities, for investigation • Selection of statistics to be collected to highlight gender issues in society • Formulation of concepts and definitions that adequately reflect the diversities of women and men in society and capture the different aspects of their lives • Development of data collection methods that take account stereotypes and social and cultural factors that might produce gender-based biases. • Development of analyses and presentation of data that can easily reach policy makers, planners and the largest audience possible.

23. Issues for reflection • To what extent are we following the production process for gender statistics in our day-to-day work? • In what areas do we need improvement? • What are some opportunities for developing gender statistics? • How should they be used to increase availability of gender statistics?