1. ESA/STAT/AC.187/6 Global Database of Statistics and Indicators on Gender Third Meeting of the Advisory Group on Global Database IAEG-GS 29 January 2009 Presentation prepared by UNSD Based on the paper by Eva Gisela Ramirez

2. Interagency and expert group on gender statistics First meeting convened in December 2006 to promote development of gender statistics Agreed to define a Global Gender Statistics Programme. Two components identified: –To build a global gender statistics database –To develop gender statistics capacity through training courses At the second meeting in December 2007 in Rome, –Gender Info 2007 was launched. –Two advisory groups were formed to address the above mentioned goals.

3. Advisory Group on Databases Objectives: To develop a framework of statistics, indicators and metadata To review and identify key gender indicators and statistics required to effectively monitor progress in the goals of gender equality and development Membership: Countries (6): Canada, Malawi, Mexico (chair), Malawi, Philippines, Zimbabwe International agencies: ECLAC, ESCWA, UNIFEM, World Bank, World Bank Institute

4. Global gender statistics database Uses To analyze and compare the situation of women and men in the world To evaluate progress with respect to gender issues and assess the efficacy of national, regional and international policies to narrow the gender gap A useful tool to evaluate improvements in statistical capacity to produce gender statistics Characteristics Policy relevance Comparability across time and across countries Based on harmonized concepts, definitions and methods

5. UNSD’s Gender Info 2007 Constructed with available information from the international statistical system –Official statistics reported by national statistical system to statistics offices of international organizations including UNSD, ILO, UNESCO, UNAIDS, IPU, WHO, etc. –Statistics estimated by international organizations such as UNPD, UNICEF, etc. Includes 116 indicators for 6 main topics and 18 sub-topics Period coverage: last 2 decades

6. Table 1. Gender Info 2007 main topics and subtopics Topic/sub-topicIndicators EDUCATION44 Enrolment24 Literacy4 Progression and completion10 School life expectancy2 Teaching staff4 FAMILIES14 Childbearing8 Unions6

7. Table 1. (cont.) Topic/sub-topicIndicators WORK20 Economic activity2 Employment14 Unemployment4 HEALTH AND NUTRITION24 HIV/AIDS11 Life expectancy2 Mortality5 Nutrition2 Reproductive health4

8. Table 1. (cont.) Topic/sub-topicIndicators PUBLIC LIFE AND DECISION MAKING 4 Political participation4 POPULATION10 Distribution4 Size and composition6 TOTAL NO. INDICATORS116

9. In spite of the relevance of the greater part of the indicators, GenderInfo lacks data on subjects that at present are essential for gender analysis, notably: Migration Causes of death Unpaid work Work in the informal sector Informal employment Time use and balance between family and labour life Income Poverty Family and household dynamics Participation in political society Laws and institutions on equality and autonomy of women Violence against women Progress of national information systems in the production of statistics addressing gender issues

10. Thematic imbalance in GenderInfo 2007 –Many indicators on education, particularly on enrolment, but none on effective school attendance (possibly due to small number of countries with such data) –Second most numerous indicators are in Health, mainly on HIV/AIDS, but none on general mortality, morbidity, deaths by cause (except maternal mortality) –Limited information on family dynamics, e.g. household headship by sex, types of household (nuclear, two-parent, single-parent, with young children, etc.), power relations in the family

11. Comparison with other gender information systems Comparing with GID-OECD, World Bank and Global Economic Forum, ECE and ECLAC: 1. All share the same thematic structure and in each of the themes similar indicator sets, although each with some additional indicators 2. All initiatives have several years of development and have had time to make adjustments and improvements

12. Table 2. Comparison of the thematic structure of diverse systems of gender information systems THEMEGen der Info GID- OEC D Worl d Bank Global Econ Forum ECEECE EC LA C Population10 13514 Families1458922 Work2011991611 Education4413117621 Health and nutrition249112426 Public life & decision making4531318 Social Institutions, basic rights 84

13. Table 2. (cont.) THEMEGen der Info GID- OEC D Worl d Bank Global Econ Forum ECEECE ECL AC Capabilities & human capital17 Opportunity7 Empowerment33 Vulnerability12 Population dynamics8 Key indicators8 Gender country profiles12

14. Table 2. (cont.) THEMEGen der Info GID- OEC D Worl d Bank Global Econ Forum ECEECE ECL AC Life balance8 Science and ITC3 Crime and violence65 TOTAL11661944182117

15. 3. GenderInfo does not offer an additional topic that is different or a “plus” compared to the other existing systems. Its value rests on the official characteristic of its data, the institutional status, the longer period coverage, the integrity of the database, the versatility of its platform. 4. The GEF presents only a file per country with the indicator values and composite indexes and its location in the international ranking. 5. The systems that offer extensive themes are ECE and GEF. ECLAC has the most number of indicators.

16. A.Comparison of Indicators in GenderInfo vs. MDG B.Comparison of GenderInfo vs. ECLAC on useful indicators to monitor Beijing Platform for Action One of the uses of gender statistics and indicators is as a tool to monitor progress in the achievement of international commitments

17. A.GenderInfo vs. MDG Indicators Goal Indics MDG Indics GenderInfo 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger92 2. Achieve universal primary education33 3. Promote gender equality and empower women33 4. Reduce child mortality32 5. Improve maternal health65 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases103 TOTAL3418

18. GenderInfo vs. ECLAC for Monitoring Beijing Critical area of concern Indics ECLAC Indics GenderInfo 1.Poverty80 2. Education and training116 3. Health103 4. Violence against women60 5. Women in armed conflict10 6. Women in the economy161 7. Power and decision making41

19. GenderInfo vs. ECLAC (cont.) Critical area of concern Indics ECLAC Indics GenderInfo 8. Institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women 30 9. Human rights10 10. Women and the media10 11. Women and the environment10 12. The girl childIncluded in other goals TOTAL6211

20. Issues for consideration Expansion of thematic coverage Inclusion of indicators to monitor international agreements and resolutions Pay attention to related databases and initiatives Software selection– change?