Current Status of and Future Directions for Statistics on Women, Work and Poverty Joann Vanek Director of Statistics Women in Informal Employment: Globalising and Organising (WIEGO)

Key findings on women, work and poverty from WIEGO’s analysis of data for several countries for UNIFEM/ UNDP/ILO Progress of the World’s Women 2005

Key findings - 1 There are multiple dimensions of gender inequality – in terms of both segmentation, average earnings, and poverty risk - among workers including:There are multiple dimensions of gender inequality – in terms of both segmentation, average earnings, and poverty risk - among workers including: between formal/informal employmentbetween formal/informal employment across employment statusesacross employment statuses within given employment statuseswithin given employment statuses

Key findings - 2 Women are concentrated in the more precarious forms of employment with low earningsWomen are concentrated in the more precarious forms of employment with low earnings

Key findings - 3 But poverty rates are also often lower among women, compared to men, within a particular employment category - this is because the poverty rate (i.e., likelihood of being from a poor household) depends on whether the woman is a secondary, primary, or single earner.But poverty rates are also often lower among women, compared to men, within a particular employment category - this is because the poverty rate (i.e., likelihood of being from a poor household) depends on whether the woman is a secondary, primary, or single earner.

Key findings - 4 Understanding employment/poverty linkages requires analysis of individual employment status and earnings, household income and intra-household dynamicsUnderstanding employment/poverty linkages requires analysis of individual employment status and earnings, household income and intra-household dynamics

Future Directions for Gender Statistics Employment: map the labour force by formal/informal, status in employment, agriculture/non-agriculture and sexEmployment: map the labour force by formal/informal, status in employment, agriculture/non-agriculture and sex Earnings: develop statistics on earnings of the self- employed as well as wage-employedEarnings: develop statistics on earnings of the self- employed as well as wage-employed Poverty: go beyond female-headed households to look at the poverty risk (i.e. likelihood of being from a poor household) associated with different categories of employment by sexPoverty: go beyond female-headed households to look at the poverty risk (i.e. likelihood of being from a poor household) associated with different categories of employment by sex Time use: provide a comprehensive view of all forms of work - both market and non-market - to shed light on the linkages between the two and the family division of labourTime use: provide a comprehensive view of all forms of work - both market and non-market - to shed light on the linkages between the two and the family division of labour