1. 10 August 2007 1 Inter-Regional Workshop on the Production of Gender Statistics New Delhi, India, 6-10 August 2007 Strengthening National Gender Statistics Programmes: The Way forward Grace Bediako Government Statistician Ghana Statistical Service

2. 10 August 2007 2 The focus of the Session Where are we on gender statistics? Where do we need to be? How will we get to where we need to be? What are some milestones along the way? What will it take to take us from where we are now, through where we would like to be, to where we need to be? What are the next steps/“quick wins” for national gender statistics programmes?

3. 10 August 2007 3 Major steps in the production process Statistics required from various fields Problems and questions on gender issues in society Required improvements in the situation of women and men Goals for equal opportunity Relevant statistics/indicators Data gaps Available statistics Statistics to be analysed Determine data sources Review quality Review concepts, methods, classifications, etc. Other sources Presentation Analysis Dissemination Collect new data Defining issues Defining data requirements Assembling data Dissemination

4. 10 August 2007 4 Role of producer-user dialogue Define issues Identify gaps Identify statistical needs Producers of statistics Users of statistics Feedback on relevance of data/products Support analysis Identify gaps Beginning stages of data collection Consultations/feedback in-between Final steps in data collection Advice on concepts & methods Advice on questionnaires design

5. 10 August 2007 5 A yardstick for measuring – how well we are doing… The Beijing Platform for Action

6. 10 August 2007 6 Beijing Platform for Action Designate or appoint staff to strengthen gender statistics programmes and ensure coordination, monitoring and linkages to all fields of statistical work, and prepare outputs that integrates statistics from various subject areas. (Para. 209 (d)).

7. 10 August 2007 7 Minimum requirements suggested by the Platform (1) Organization – Staff dedicated to the work on gender statistics Goals and objectives – Coordination, monitoring and linkages with all fields of statistics, i.e., within and reaching across to other sector sections Output – products covering statistics from various subject areas

8. 10 August 2007 8 Organizational setup Institutional arrangement is critical for the success of the gender statistics programme. Most national statistical offices represented at this workshop have some form of institutional arrangement to implement a gender statistics programme One or two have a committee on gender statistics Some have legal provisions and mandated by an act (or law)

9. 10 August 2007 9 Does the statistical law or laws governing the statistical production in your country, explicitly deal with the production and/or dissemination of gender statistics or the provision of sex disaggregated data? Yes8 No17 TOTAL25

10. 10 August 2007 10 Is there a special unit/desk/focal point responsible for gender statistics in your National Statistics Office (NSO)? Yes15 In Social and Demographic statistics13 In Coordination Branch2 No - working group 2 No8 TOTAL25

11. 10 August 2007 11 How has the set up in your country worked …? Who has all three… or two… The unit, the committee and the law/act? Do you have a regular programme for gender statistics? In what way has it helped in the establishing and maintaining a gender statistics programme? What have been the challenges? …

12. 10 August 2007 12 Functions of the gender statistics unit/programme Coordination, monitoring and linkages with other fields Within the NSO Among producers of statistics Advocacy Improving gender statistics, internally and system-wide Substantive and technical support to other ministries, departments and agencies dealing with statistics Training of NSO and non-NSO staff

13. 10 August 2007 13 List the main tasks of the gender statistics unit/desk/focal point with respect to gender statistics. Identifying user needs3 Methodology development5 Collection/compilation14 Analysis of data9 Dissemination15 Collaboration with other orgs./depts.4 Advocating for gender stats. inclusion3 Training4 Other5

14. 10 August 2007 14 Collection of gender relevant data through the Population and Housing Census? Yes16 No9 Collection of data on gender-specific topics through national sample surveys? Yes16 No9 Collection/compilation of sex-disaggregated data from administrative sources on such topics as access to credit/land, housing/land tenure, crime, etc.? Yes12 No13 Countries with initiatives to improve

15. 10 August 2007 15 Outputs suggested by the Beijing the Platform (2) Disaggregation of statistics by sex and age, reflecting gender issues in all statistics about individuals (Para. 209 (a)) Collection, compilation, analysis and presentation of gender statistics on a regular basis (Para, 209 (b)) Strengthening vital statistical systems (Para. 209 (j)) Improving concepts and methods…(Para. 209 (c)) Developing and testing appropriate indicators and research methodologies,…involving women’s studies centres and research orgs (Para. 209 (d)) Improving data collection on various issues, including: the full contribution of women and men to the economy… (Para. 209 (e)).

16. 10 August 2007 16 Responsibility of Government… regular production Ensure the regular production of statistical publication on gender that presents and interprets topical data on women and men in a form suitable for a wide range of non-technical users (Para. 210 (a)) regularly review Ensure that producers and users of statistics in each country regularly review the adequacy of official statistical system and its coverage of gender issues, and prepare a plan for needed improvements, where necessary. (Para. 210 (b)) Use Use more gender sensitive data in the formulation of policy and implementation of programmes and projects (Para. 210 (d))

17. 10 August 2007 17 What is the state of national gender statistics… How influential is the NSO on gender statistics? What do others (producers and users count on the NSO for with regard to gender statistics/research) What kind of reputation does the unit have among gender advocates? What is the level of cooperation With other producers of statistics ? Dialogue with users? What are the benefits from these interactions?

18. 10 August 2007 18 What are the regular outputs… Which NSO has a regular gender statistics publication all basic areas of statistics What type of publication How many issues and at what interval? Is there a specified work programme for gender statistics? Has a plan for the improving gender statistics been prepared? On the basis of a review of data needs and users’ requirements? What strategies have been identified?

19. 10 August 2007 19 Next steps - As an exercise for group Assess the state of national gender statistics in each member country, in terms of: Strengths (two or three per country) Weaknesses (two or three per country) Identify some opportunities for, and challenges to changing the situation. Propose some specific actions that can be taken in the next 6 to 18 months, to improve gender statistics at the country level (be sure that each country’s particular circumstance is taken into account) Next six months Next year

20. 10 August 2007 20 Individual/Country Reflection For final closing remarks, prepare to state: important lesson What single most important lesson on gender statistics you have picked up from any of the components of the workshop (lectures, country presentations, working groups exercises, general discussions, tours, etc.) How are you planning to apply this to your work when you get back? Within what time frame? How can a network on gender statistics support your work?

21. 10 August 2007 21 Thank you