Co-hosted by PARIS21, Open Data Watch, Equality Insights, Data2X, and UN Women, this side event focuses on financing gender data systems as a pivotal catalyst for gender equality. The event is designed to connect and convene development partners, member countries, civil society representatives, advocates and experts from the gender data and gender equality communities for an interactive discussion on the crucial role of gender data in delivering on the promise of sustainable development and a gender equal future.
Why do the current investment trends in gender data matter for gender equality?
Despite notable progress, the 2030 vision of gender equality is at risk of slipping away. Immediate, accelerated action is imperative to bring this vision into reality. High-quality, granular gender and intersectional data and statistics are essential to catalyse action to build strong institutions, identify and respond to poverty and inequalities, and enable evidence-informed action for gender equality.
But gender data gaps remain pervasive across the globe as a structural feature – both a cause and a consequence – of unequal societies. Dedicated funding for gender data remains scarce and irregular, highlighting the need for more sustainable and better co-ordinated support for gender data systems.
Despite these limitations, there are encouraging trends that the data and gender equality and development communities can leverage:
- Overall funding for data and statistics has risen by 14% in 2021 to USD 799 million – a record high in the SDG era – opening doors for renewed efforts toward stronger, more gender-responsive statistical systems.
- Multilateral channels have emerged as the primary source of funding for data and statistics for the first time, revealing potential for better coordinated and sustainable funding for gender data, rather than piecemeal support.
- References to gender data in Official Development Assistance (ODA) for gender equality have increased tenfold over the last decade, indicating a growing recognition of the importance of data in efforts towards gender equality.
It’s time to connect the dots between support for gender data and support for gender equality and development overall, enabling transformative change in data systems and putting evidence at the heart of action.
Why include investments in gender data in CSW discussions?
This year's CSW theme focuses on addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective. Gender data matters for each of these endeavours:
Gender Data for Transparency and Accountability: Good governance and effective institutions rely on and are shaped by the quality of available evidence and strong mechanisms for accountability. Ensuring regular production, dissemination and public access to gender data is vital to foster gender-responsive policymaking and programming and lay the groundwork for advocacy and public engagement.
Gender Data for Monitoring Policy Impacts: Domestic public resources, progressive taxation, and gender-responsive budgeting are all key strategies to mobilise the resources needed to realise gender equality commitments. The ability to target and track these resources effectively hinges on data systems that capture gender-related programming and outcomes.
Gender Data to Advance Gender Equality: Addressing poverty as part of the larger effort to advance gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls must be grounded in the lived experiences of women and girls in all their diversity—an undertaking that is impossible without comprehensive, intersectional data.
CSW presents a key moment to evaluate current investment levels for gender data in relation to the midpoint of the SDGs. It serves as a platform to check our assumptions, reset priorities, and underscore how investments in statistical systems reinforce broader gender equality goals, bolstering institutions and enabling effective financing.
Objectives of the side-event
This side event aims to accelerate progress towards shared goals by uniting diverse stakeholders in a focused discussion on the critical role of gender data investments within broader global and national gender equality efforts. Specifically, this event aims to:
- Share latest insights on trends in gender data financing at country, regional, and global levels
- Discuss and exchange best practices and new solutions for connecting gender data to gender equality in development co-operation
- Strengthen dialogue and coherence between gender equality and data communities and across initiatives
- Explore how to harness global and political commitments and momentum into action for better and more sustainable gender data and evidence
- Highlight role of different stakeholders, particularly local and civil society actors, to influence more and better funding for gender data
Participating Experts
- Deirdre Appel, Clearinghouse Community Manager, PARIS21; Communications Manager; Open Data Watch (MC)
- Francesca Perucci, Director of Policy and Partnerships, Open Data Watch (welcoming remarks)
- Lauren Harrison, Policy Analyst, Gender, PARIS21 (scene-setting)
- Jessamyn Encarnacion, Inter-Regional Advisor on Gender Statistics, UN Women (scene-setting)
- Jo Pradela, Director, Knowledge Translation & Equality Insights, International Women’s Development Agency (moderator and closing remarks)
