International Meeting on Gender Statistics within the Framework of the Millennium Development Goals Aguascalientes September 2006 Demographic and Social Statistics Branch Statistics Division, DESA United Nations, New York

The Worlds Women 2005 Progress in Statistics

Use of Gender Statistics Statistics are essential ingredients for socio- economic planning Have been critical in focusing international attention on gender equality and equity questions Four issues produced The first issued in 1991, and subsequently in 1995, and 2000 The current one was issued 2005

Change in Focus The fourth issue of The Worlds Women departs from the three previous issues Earlier issues Present statistics on gender issues Assesses the levels and trends with respect to selected gender-specific indicators Provide analysis of regional differentials Cover selected topics and limited to countries for which data were readily available Data drawn from a variety of sources, primarily from United Nations system, including specialized agencies Identified gaps in the available data

New Focus – Progress in Statistics All the three previous issues highlighted the deficiencies and gaps in statistics The Beijing Platform for Action calls for all statistics on individuals to be disaggregated by age and sex The fourth issue therefore addressed one of the key fundamental problems in the promotion of gender equality – Availability of gender statistics

Focus on Official Statistics The assessment focused on official national statistics, as provided to the United Nations and its specialized agencies (not internationally prepared estimates, which tend to fill the gaps and therefore cover up the lack of statistical capacity) Statistics reviewed include population, health, education and work (that have also been covered in previous issues) The report also assesses the current state of statistics on relatively new issues such as violence against women, poverty, power and decision-making, and human rights (which were touched on in past issues but have still not found a place in official statistics

Statistical Capacity Two main dimensions in the assessment of national capacities in the production of gender statistics (1)Capacity with respect to two major sources of data a)Conduct of population censuses b)Completeness of birth registration (2)Availability of sex- and age- specific data (as reported to international data collection systems a)Detail of reporting (total only, disaggregation by sex or age only, or by sex and age) b)Frequency of reporting within a specific period c)Covering a period of three decades ( ; ; )

Statistical Capacity Assessment Five indicators were selected as illustrative of national statistical capacity to produce and report gender statistics 1.Population census conducted ( ) 2.Birth registration completed, with at least 90% of births registered ( ) 3.Population reported by sex and age ( ) 4.Births reported by sex of child 5.Economic activity reported by sex and age

Five indicators considered Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005: Progress in Statistics

Still too many countries/areas did not conduct a census in 2000 round Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005: Progress in Statistics

Many countries/areas have still a long way from complete registration Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005: Progress in Statistics

Civil registration Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005: Progress in Statistics

Reporting of total population Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005: Progress in Statistics

Vital statistics reporting Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005: Progress in Statistics

Reporting on vital statistics Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005 Progress in Statistics Number of countries or areas that reported deaths for the period , by geographic region Africa North Ame rica South Ame ricaAsiaEuropeOceania All countries or areas Deaths Total, at least once By sex, at least once By sex and age, at least once By sex and age, at least five years

Tracking capacities from economic activity reporting Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005: Progress in Statistics

Reporting on employed population by sex and major occupational group, by number of years data were reported during the period Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005 Progress in Statistics

Reporting on Wage Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005 Progress in Statistics Gap between womens and mens pay 108 of 204 countries or areas report data on total wages Less than a quarter of countries report data by sex

Out of 13 countries and areas in South America 8 have conducted at least one survey 5 of which conducted at least one survey with national coverage Surveys on violence against women Source: United Nations, Worlds Women 2005: Progress in Statistics

Some critical observations Slow progress in the development of statistics (as regards availability of data from major sources) Sex and age disaggregation are not being routinely made available Gender statistics more scarce when issues are more specific and require greater detail No clear trend in the availability of gender statistics Gender issues/topics covered by official statistics remain limited to the traditional statistical topics Emerging issues are still being taken up largely outside the official statistics

The way forward National statistical systems need to be strengthened –Official statistics not being maximized (including making data available for wide use) Mainstream gender in all aspects of production of statistics –Support and strengthen gender statistics units Develop and improve concepts and methods where they are inadequate –Support development of emerging topics with relevant classifications

Thank you Reference: The Worlds Women 2005: Progress in Statistics United Nations Publication, Sales No. E.05.XVII.7, ISBN