Integrating a Gender Perspective into Statistics Francesca Grum

Integrating a Gender Perspective into Statistics Francesca Grum, Chief Social and Housing Statistics Section United Nations Statistics Division Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Outline • Overview – Integrating a gender perspective into official statistics • What are gender statistics? • How are gender statistics produced? • Plan for developing gender statistics – Results of the Global Survey on National Programmes on Gender Statistics Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

What are gender statistics? Gender statistics are defined as statistics that adequately reflect differences and inequalities in the situation of women and men in all areas of life (UN World’s Women 2005). Gender statistics = 1 Data are collected and presented disaggregated by sex; + 2 Data are reflecting gender issues; + 3 Data are based on concepts and definitions that adequately reflect the diversity of women and capture all aspects of their lives; + 4 Data collection methods take into account stereotypes and social and cultural factors that may induce gender biases. Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Confusion between “sex” and “gender” still persists among producers and users of statistics. • “Sex” refers to biological differences • “Gender” refers to socially constructed differences in attributes and opportunities associated with being female or male and the social interactions and relationships (including power relationships) between women and men • Data are disaggregated by sex, not by gender Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

How are gender statistics produced? Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Two contrasting models of production of gender statistics Model 1 “Add-on” • Compilation and dissemination of existing sex-disaggregated data Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji Model 2 “Mainstream” • Gender is taken into account in all stages of data production (planning, data collection, data analysis, data dissemination) and in all statistical fields. United Nations Statistics Division

Model 1: Production of gender statistics as an “add-on” • Limited coverage of gender issues • Concepts and methods of data collection may not be gender sensitive • Products of dissemination perceived as “for women’s advocates only” • Gender statistics marginalized among other fields of statistics • Fail to reach a wide range of users, particularly policy makers, researchers and analysts in domains other than gender equality • Their production may be more dependent on irregular economic and human resources Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Model 2: Gender mainstreamed in national statistics (It means that gender is brought into the “mainstream” of all statistical activities rather than dealt with as an “add-on”) • Coverage of gender issues are decided from the stage of planning of data collection • Concepts and methods of data collection are chosen to be gendersensitive • Dissemination of gender statistics are incorporated in regular publications or databases, therefore they reach a wider audience • A more sustainable production of gender statistics • Improved quality of data produced by national statistical systems Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

In summary: Gender Statisticsmainstreaming – More than data disaggregated by sex – Respond to the needs of policy makers, advocates, researchers, the media and the public – Gender dimension is integrated at all stages of data production (planning, data collection, data analysis, data dissemination) and in all statistical fields Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Four-step plan for developing gender statistics 1. Identify gender issues (user-producer cooperation is key) 2. Identify data needed to address those gender issues 3. Assess the availability and quality of existing gender statistics 4. If gap between data needed and existing data • • • Better exploitation, tabulation and dissemination of existing data; Collection of new data, Development of new gender-sensitive concepts and methods Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Mainstreaming a gender perspective into national statistical system requires: • Leadership and political will at all levels • Specification of formal requirements of gender statistics in the national statistical legislation • Cooperation between users and producers of statistics • Collaboration of NSOs with other institutions for developing and improving concepts and methods • Training of statisticians • Re-focus of activities and position of gender units and gender focal points within the national statistical systems Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Global review of Gender Statistics Programmes in countries Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Global Review - Objectives – Conduct a review of gender statistics in national statistical systems • • – Mandated by 2011 UN Statistical Commission Answers received in 2012 from 126 NSOs from 5 UN regions Obtain information on how gender perspectives are mainstreamed Identify good practices and challenges in integrating gender into the production and use of statistics Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Global Review: 5 main topics 1. Institutional arrangements 2. Production (including data collection) of gender statistics 3. Addressing users’ needs 4. Assessment of mainstreaming gender into national statistical system 5. Legal framework Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Global Review: 5 main topics 1. Institutional arrangements 2. Production (including data collection) of gender statistics 3. Addressing users’ needs 4. Assessment of mainstreaming gender into national statistical system 5. Legal framework Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

4. Assessment of mainstreaming gender into national statistical system Mainstreaming/integrating a gender perspective into statistics means that gender issues and gender-based biases are taken into account systematically, in the production of all official statistics and at all stages of data production. 75% Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

1. Institutional arrangements Gender Statistics Entities Question 1: Gender statistics entities % countries by type of gender statistics entity Type of gender statistics entity Gender statistics focal point /desk in NSO Gender focal points in different government ministries/agencies Gender statistics working groups, advisory group Gender statistics dedicated office within the NSO ESCAP (N=24) All countries (N=126) - 62. 5 68. 2 50. 0 49. 2 + 41. 7 + 37. 5 31. 7 31. 0 Gender statistics section in different government ministries/agencies 16. 7 27. 8 Gender statistics focal point/officer in different offices within the NSO 29. 2 27. 0 Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

1. Institutional arrangements Budgets Questions 4 and 6: Budgets for gender statistics ESCAP All 8. 3 12. 7 % with ad-hoc funds but no dedicated budget 54. 2 48. 4 % without dedicated budget or ad-hoc funds 37. 5 38. 9 % with a dedicated gender statistics budget Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

2. Production of Gender Statistics Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Mixed progress in gender statistics üGlobal recognition of the importance of Gender Statistics as shown by the existence of dedicated entities/focal points üSome areas are well-covered üIncreased availability of statistics and gender statistics mainly due to improved dissemination of sex-disaggregated statistics; Yet, Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Mixed progress in gender statistics û Quality gender statistics are still lacking in many countries: – Data scarcity in areas such as poverty; time use; violence against women; environment • Data not collected in some countries • Data already collected not adequately disseminated • Data disseminated not disaggregated enough to allow the identification of population groups where gender differences are more pronounced Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Re-cap Gender statistics are more than data disaggregated by sex “Sex” and “gender” not interchangeable Gender statistics have to respond to the needs of policy makers, advocates, researchers, the media and the public Gender should be integrated at all stages of data production and in all statistical fields (=gender mainstreaming) Four-step plan for developing gender statistics • Identify gender issues (user-producer cooperation is key) • Identify data needed to address those gender issues • Assess the availability and quality of existing gender statistics • Use the information on the gap between data needed and existing data as a basis for developing a plan for gender statistics. Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division

Visit us at: http: //unstats. un. org/unsd/gender/default. html Pacific Region Workshop on Gender Statistics 4 – 6 August 2014, Nadi, Fiji United Nations Statistics Division