1 Gender institutional framework: Implications for household surveys Gender institutional framework: Implications for household surveys Global Forum on Gender Statistics, Rome, Italy: 10 – 12 Dec 2007 Session 8: Engendering Household Surveys – Measuring Work Cyril Parirenyatwa Cyril Parirenyatwa 7 December 2007

2 Introduction commitments to gender equality/equity Need for gender mainstreaming policies, programmes and budgets gender statistics input to policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation enabling environment for gendered surveys depends on number of interrelated factors Presentation on gender institutional framework and implications on surveys for measuring work e.g. Labour Force Surveys

3 Driving forces for engendered statistics International and regional agreements Zimbabwe is party / signatory to international/regional agreements on gender equity and equality Adopted three goals as priority Goal 3: promote gender equality and empower women and Goals 1 & 6 National policymaking developments – Constitutional and legislative framework:  National Gender Policy (2004) and Plan of Action  National gender machinery composed of: Ministry; Gender Focal Points (GFP) - ministries/parastatals; trained in gender mainstreaming; private sector to be included later

4 National policymaking developments  National gender machinery (contd)  Equal opportunities legislation and anti-discrimination laws to safeguard against discrimination  Gender Budgeting and Results Based Budgeting principles,  Long / Medium term plans: Vision 2020; Zimbabwe United National Development Assistance Frame (ZUNDAF); Zimbabwe Economic Development Strategy (ZEDS, 2009 – 2015: under preparation); Thematic groups on gender.  Other measures : Affirmative Action; differential entry requirements into institutions of higher learning for the girl child; jjoint custody of children; women’s ownership of land.

5 Engendering Household Surveys Measuring Work - facilitating conditions – results of driving forces:  Census and Statistics Legislation, 2007 o Establishes Semi-autonomous Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) with Board with at least half of the members being women. o Board to approve national censuses and surveys conducted by other persons o ZIMSTAT to co-ordinate the National Statistical System (NSS) o Gender Focal Point appointed : Govt. / Parastatals  Gender Statistics Section responsible for: o strengthening gender statistics o gender sensitization of staff, including fieldstaff o producing gender statistics products o training in gender and child analysis for CSO, NSS

6 Engendering Household Surveys Measuring Work - facilitating conditions:  Household Surveys Programme: o size of the surveys enable generation of gender-sensitive indicators o gender sensitivity is practiced at the recruitment e.g. Demographic and Health Survey. o Training for trainers & fieldstaff  Census and Survey Planning Committees - representation: Gender, Household Surveys; Sampling & GIS, Employment; key stakeholders  Stakeholder consultation and participation for prioritisation through: user inquiries; user - producer workshops  Consensus-building workshop to ensure relevance of data

7 Engendering Household Surveys Measuring Work - facilitating conditions:  Dissemination of gender statistics through: Dissemination workshops – release and discuss results, identify data needs  Specific gender reports  Gender sensitive statistics  Internet (website -  Databases:  Zimbabwe National Statistics Database (ZIMDAT) contains economic, social and political indicators from 1980 and most indicators are disaggregated by sex  Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) accommodates individual data records.

8 Implications for engendering household surveys Questions on individuals include sex variable Examples engendered survey results, 2004 LFS & Child Labour Survey: Labour force participation (LFPR) for males (av. 91%) exceed those for females (av. 84%) Economically inactive females were 537 thousand vs. 292 thousand males Of working age population, 79% was employed; Employment rate: Male - 85 %; Females – 74% Large differentials between male and female employment rates in urban provinces of Harare (male - 71 %; female - 44 %) and Bulawayo (male - 70 %; female - 46 %).

9 Examples engendered survey results, 2004 LFS & Child Labour Survey: Broad youth (age yrs) unemployment rate: Females - 19 %; male - 11 %; both sexes - 15 % Of unemployed, 45% were previously employed; of whom 79 % were female Of 5.1 million currently employed 15+: and were in informal sector: males and females Informal sector absorbed persons of ever- retrenched from Jan ‘95 and May 2004: 80 % being male 59 % males and 81 % females of agricultural employees reported injuries that were work related Question: how policy makers used the information?

10 Lessons for engendering surveys measuring work Basis for gender statistics expressed in: International/regional/ national documents and plans national l egislations/ regulations; documents and plans Manuals and guidelines on gender statistics Gender statistics workshops and seminars for monitoring Goal 3, Zimbabwe Millennium Development Goals 2004 Progress Report assessed existing capacities using the categories of: very weak, weak, fair, strong and very strong as follows: Fair: data gathering and the quality of survey information Weak: statistical tracking, analysis and incorporating statistics into policy No system for gender monitoring and evaluation was in existence.

11 Need vigorous awareness campaign within the NSS about: existence of the documents together with knowledge about gender concerns and gender equality policies mainstreaming gender statistics in the national statistical system Some strategies for engendering household surveys: Establish National Gender Statistics Committee Gender training (sensitisation, analysis, etc) Include the sex variable in all data collected fill data gaps Develop gender statistics database compile compendium on standards, concepts, definitions At international and regional levels: engender existing manuals and guidelines

12 The End and Thank You for Lending Me Your Ears Central Statistical Office P. O. Box CY 342, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe Phone: ; Fax: / Website: