GENDER STATISTICS IN NIGERIA ISSUES AND CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY PATRICIA EWEAMA (ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, GENDER) AT UN GLOBAL FORUM ON GENDER STATISTICS, ACCRA GHANA 26-29 JANUARY, 2009

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION INTRODUCTION Background Current Efforts ISSUES AND CHALLENGES WAY FORWARD CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION Background Government of Nigeria through the activities of Federal Ministry of Women Affairs made satisfactory progress in the overall advancement of women and children issues including the adoption of: - National Policy on Women in 2000 - Child Rights Acts in 2003 and - The National Gender Policy Plans to develop National Gender Data Bank

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) To support these efforts of Government, National Bureau of Statistics the apex Statistical Agency charged with the responsibility, among others to produce socio-economic statistics including Gender Statistics on a sustainable basis to profile all facets of development created a gender Desk to: -Mainstreaming gender into its data collection instruments and methods -Yearly publication on women and men in Nigeria -Create awareness or gender statistics development in Nigeria among others.

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) The Desk has among others: Current Efforts Conducted an inaugural first yearly workshop on gender statistics development involving Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs and other key stake holders on gender statistics development. Produced the maiden publication on Women and Men in Nigeria in the process of printing. Data collection on the second edition completed and plans on report writing on-going.

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) Framework for the implementation of the National Gender Policy developed. Consultancy work on engendering NBS instruments submitted for approval; to NBS management

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) Highlights of Statistical Report on women and men in Nigeria (2001-2006) Report in eight chapters -Population -Education -Health -Employment -Political Participation -Gender and Poverty -Violence and Crime

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) Summary of key indicators Population: 1999 - 50% women - 50% men 2006 - 49% women - 51% men Growth rates for male and female population. 4.07% men 3.57% women

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) Education: Female literacy - 56.8% in 2006 National rate - 65.7% Health: HIV Prevalence rate - 2005 Men - 45.63% Women - 54.37%

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) Employment: Federal Civil Service - 2006 Women - 31.28% Federal Ministries (Average) Women - 32.4% Men - 67.6%

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) Teachers in Employment Primary – Women - 50.80% Secondary – Women - 39% Men - 61% Tertiary Institutions – 2005 Women – 18% Men - 82%

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) Political Participation: National Parliament(2007) % of Seat held Women - 7.5% Men - 2.5% Gender and Poverty: Access to facilities (Bank loan) Women - 21.9% Men - 78.1%

INTRODUCTION (Contd.) Violence and Crime: Trafficking % 2005 Women - 82.44% Men - 17.56% Prison Inmates Women - 4.54% Men - 95.46%

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES The major obstacle to the formulation of appropriate policies and laws to advance the course of women is the paucity of reliable and gender disaggregated data in Nigeria. This issue is being addressed by NBS Annual publication on women and men in Nigeria.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES (Contd.) Population censuses not engendered. Nigeria is the only country where Bureau of statistics is not responsible for conducting population censuses. This poses a real challenge for now.. Poor Gender analytical capacity in the Bureau.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES (Contd.) There are gaps in measurement of women’s time use, access to productive assets etc.

WAY FORWARD Secure government financial commitment and legal backing. Gender household surveys, population censuses and other surveys. Build Capacity through gender trainings, courses especially on best practices on gender analysis and methods. Train Gender focal Points in NSOs on degree and postgraduate courses abroad on gender statistics through donor support.

CONCLUSION In spite of efforts made at producing gender statistics in the country, a lot still needs to be done in the articulation of contemporary global and regional declarations including Beijing Platform for Action (BPA 1995), the millennium declaration, 2000. Relevant clauses of these resolutions state clearly that profiling the situations of women and men within the same environment and circumstances is the most powerful form of advocacy which bring into policy focus the existing gender gaps that require strategic and targeted policy actions to redress. Capacity building on gender statistics is key to attaining national, regional and international goals on gender statistics.