1. Gender statistics in PRSPs
Sulekha Patel
The World Bank
Gender Forum, Ghana, Accra
January 26-28, 2009

2. To evaluate gender sensitivity of country PRSPs:
Gender Issues in PRSPs
Context
To evaluate gender sensitivity of country PRSPs:
MDGs
Expanded ( proposed) set of indicators
To identify existing gaps in PRSP coverage
Next steps

3. Key Elements of Gender Equality
Gender equality in rights, resources, and voice
Leveling the field of opportunities
Household
Household resource and task allocations, fertility decisions
Economy & Markets
Access to land, financial services, labor markets, technology
Society
Civic and political participation
Domains of choices, domains for policy
This figure presents a framework that ties together key elements of gender equality* (*Source – Global Monitoring Report 2007)
In the household, evidence suggests that increased gender equality between men and women changes the allocation of household expenditures, resulting in a larger share of resources devoted to children’s education and health.
In the market, gender inequality is reflected in unequal access to land, credit, and labor markets, and in significantly less access to new production technologies.
In society, gender inequality is expressed as restrictions to women’s participation in civic and political life.
In addition to improving individuals’ lives, increased gender equality can contribute to better aggregate economic performance.
Aggregate economic performance (poverty reduction, growth)

4. Framework : Key Elements of Gender Equality
Ties together key elements of gender equality*
In the household: increased gender equality between men and women changes the allocation of HH expenditures, resulting in a larger share of resources devoted to children’s education and health.
In the market: gender inequality is reflected in unequal access to land, credit, and labor markets, and in significantly less access to new production technologies.
In society: gender inequality is expressed as restrictions to women’s participation in civic and political life.
In addition to improving individuals’ lives, increased gender equality can contribute to better aggregate economic performance.
*Source – WB Global Monitoring Report 2007

5. Advance Gender Equality: business case
Countries are falling behind their commitment to meet the MDGs
Gains in women’s economic opportunities lag behind those on women’s capabilities
Lack of women’s empowerment:
Imperils growth and poverty reduction
Less favourable education and health outcomes for children
Rapid spread of HIV/AIDS

6. MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Official Indicators
Target 3A: Eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education by no later than 2015
Household
Economy and market
Society
Ratio of girls’ to boys’ enrollment in primary, secondary, and tertiary education
Share of women in wage employ-ment in the non-agricultural sector
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament

7. MDG3 Effect on Other MDGs
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are channels to attaining other MDGs —
universal primary education (MDG2A),
lower under-five mortality (MDG4A),
improved maternal health (MDG5A and B),
lower likelihood of contracting HIV/AIDS (MDG6A),
Reduce biodiversity loss (MDG7B).

8. Limitations of the Official MDG3 Indicators
Only partially measure gender equality
Do not monitor key elements of gender equality (health outcomes and disparities in access to productive resources such as land, credit, and technology)
Inadequate measurement of empowerment
National-level indicators can veil inequalities between particular subgroups

9. Official MDG indicators conceal inequalities within countries
Ratio of girls’ to boys’ enrollment in primary, secondary, and tertiary education –
say nothing about educational outcomes (Completion? Getting a job?) Gaps between boys and girls completion rates remain high in SSA and SA (90% to 83% and 67% to 57% respectively)
Changes in the indicators based on parity ratios are difficult to interpret. (Increases in female-to-male ratios can result from a fall in male rates with female rates remaining constant)
Measures the status of women relative to men, rather than whether women are empowered (whether they have the ability to exercise options, choice, and control)

10. Other Indicators’ limitations:
Share of women in non/agricultural wage employment
Does not take into account the circumstances of each country – such as the share of non-agricultural employment as a percentage of total employment.
Limited use for low-income countries where wage employment is not a main source of jobs.
Does not capture the dimensions of job quality/ability of women to work for pay (economic empowerment)
Does not quantify barriers inhibiting women from participating in the labour force.
Does not capture the ability of women to control their fertility
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments
Captures political participation only at the national level, not at provincial or local levels,

11. Prospective MDG 3 Indicators
Household
Economy and markets
Society
Test scores, male and female
Gender gap in wages
Percentage voting by male, female, and ratio
Proportion of women who have ever been victims of physical violence by an intimate male partner
Share of women in informal wage and self-employment in nonagricultural employment
Proportion of women in the executive branch
Percent of employed women who face access to child care
Percentage of individuals who possess basic citizenship documents, female, and ratio
Business by average size and sex of owner
Access to credit for women and men
Land ownership by female, male, and jointly held

12. Gender in the PRSPs 45 PRSPs, from 2003-08 were reviewed
Examined the degree to which gender issued were addressed, and deemed measureable:
MDGs
Prospective set of indicators

13. MDG coverage in PRSPs

14. Related MDG indicators

15. Prospective MDG3 Indicators: Household
Issue
Indicator
Number of countries
Test scores, male and female
Proportion of women who have ever been victims of physical violence by an intimate male partner/Domestic Violence
% of women who have experienced violence 4
% who know that violence against women is a crime 1
% of cases prosecuted
% of women victim reintegrated in the society 2

16. Prospective MDG3 Indicators- Economy and Markets
Issue
Indicator
Number of countries
Gender gap in wages
Females’ wages as % of males’ wages 1
Gender salary gap in the private sector
Share of women in informal wage and self-employment in non-agricultural employment
Share of women self- employed
Number of hours women in agricultural work per day
Informal sector 9
Percent of employed women who face access to child care
Percentage of children getting day-care facilities
Business by average size and sex of owner
Access to credit for women and men
Percentage of women with access to training, credit and fiscal incentives for SMEs
Percentage of women who have obtained credit 7
Volume of microcredits granted to women
Ratio of men to women who have obtained credit
Land ownership by female, male, and jointly held
Percentage of girls/women with access to land ownership 2
Percentage of women who had the right to inherit

17. Prospective MDG3 Indicators: Society
Issue
Indicator
Number of countries
Percentage voting by male, female, and ratio
Proportion of women in the executive branch 7
Percentage of individuals who possess basic citizenship documents, female, and ratio

18. Next steps Advocacy: Raise awareness for Bank and country staff:
Developing training for Bank staff
Collaboration with partners to develop indicators to measure and monitor the prospective indicators:
Identify indicators
Develop methodology to gather and process data