Gender data gaps: New report highlights challenges in sub-Saharan Africa

CANBERRA — The quality of gender data in Sub-Saharan Africa has been assessed for the first time, and the results are alarming. A new report from Open Data Watch and Data2x has found that almost half of the indicators essential for identifying and addressing barriers faced by women and girls are lacking sex-disaggregation or are entirely missing. Without data broken down by gender, understanding the barriers to equality, and identifying solutions becomes more challenging. The report, titled “Bridging the Gap: Mapping Gender Data Availability in Africa,” was released this week, with the indicators identified by the United Nations Statistics Division, UN Women and Open Data Watch. “We know from the data we have that life outcomes for girls and women in Africa are amongst the worst in the world,” Eleanor Carey, technical manager with Data2X, explained to Devex. “We believe that better data can be part of the solution, so to achieve the [Sustainable Development Goals], this is the region where most work needs to be done.” Among the indicators missing were the proportion of women aged 15-49 subject to sexual violence by a person other than an intimate partner; the proportion of the general population that feels safe walking near where they live alone; and disaggregated data on the proportion of the population below the international poverty line. When produced regularly to international standards, datasets with gender-relevant indicators can help monitor and deliver on development goals supporting women and girls. The report assesses the availability of 104 gender-relevant indicators in 15 countries — Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. International, national, and microdata level datasets were analyzed and assessed according to availability, level of disaggregation, adherence to international standards, and timeliness. The purpose of focusing on sub-Saharan Africa was that it had not been done before, and of the potential impact it could have on poverty. By highlighting the gaps and barriers, the report provides an overview of the state of gender data in the region with the results aiming to provide a basis for countries, regional organizations, and other partners to work together to find workable solutions. The results The analysis looked at gender-relevant indicators in economics, education, environment, health, political participation, and security. International datasets, such as those available through the U.N. Global SDG Database and the World Bank’s Gender Data Portal, were among the most likely to be disaggregated by sex (52 percent in total). 26 percent of indicators at the international level had no available data. For national datasets, produced by national statistics offices and other government agencies, 13 percent lacked sex-disaggregation. But there were 35 percent of indicators missing in total. “Data collected by international surveys such as the Demographic and Health Surveys tends to be available across countries at regular intervals,” Carey said. “But other data, such as in the economic realm, is less available. Some countries prioritize generation of a wide spread of indicators which they might only produce once, while others concentrate on producing a smaller number of indicators on a regular basis.” In national databases, Kenya and Lesotho produced the fewest gender indicators, with 54 in total. Ghana produced the highest number, making gender data available for 83 of the recommended 104 indicators. But the frequency of indicator production — how often each indicator is reproduced to enable analysis over time — is highest in South Africa, with an average of 4.9 observations available per indicator. Frequency of indicator production is lowest in Ethiopia with an average of one observation per indicator. According to the report, this suggests that countries are making the choice between quality and quantity due to resource limitations within countries. An evidence base for change By understanding these similarities and differences between countries in the sex-disaggregated indicators available, Open Data Watch and Data2x aim to provide an understanding of the solutions that can be pursued both internationally and domestically to support better data collection. This includes improved funding directed at data collection, and innovative solutions such as data crowdsourcing and collaboration with the private sector. “We know from many analyses that statistical systems are on the whole quite weak in the African region, and the production of gender data, in particular, is lacking,” Carey said. “But we also know that there is a lot of innovation in the field of gender data right now and an increasing focus from other programs and partners on the African region. There’s a strategic opportunity to harness this new focus, technical advancements, and increased resources to help the region leapfrog and create forward-looking statistical systems, with gender data at their heart.” It will also be important to engage with governments and policy makers directly to create the framework and political incentives to achieve change in area of sex-disaggregated data. “Overall, we think it is important the conversation about gender data — mapping and filling gaps — happens at both the international and national levels,” Carey said. “At the international level, it is critical that gender data remain a point of conversation at key moments like the U.N. Statistical Commission — underway in New York this week — and we need international agencies to continue to recognize its importance. “But to make demonstrable progress at the level of individual SDG indicators, national-level effort is required and [this report’s] work helps set the agenda at that level.”