A Proposal for a Regional Gender Statistics Programme in Africa

1. A Proposal for a Regional Gender Statistics Programme in Africa Workshop on Household Surveys and Measurement of Labour Force 14-18 April 2008, Maseru, Lesotho Dimitri Sanga, Ph.D. Senior Statistician

2. Outline • Background • The StatCom-Africa Working Group on Gender Statistics • Proposed regional programme on gender statistics • The way forward

3. Background • The First Global Forum on Gender Statistics: • First meeting of the IAEG on Gender Statistics: 13 December 2008 in Rome, Italy • The IAEG to prepare a proposal for a Global Programme on Gender Statistics • Given the importance of gender statistics, there is a need for a development of a regional gender statistics programme

4. The StatCom-Africa Working Group on Gender Statistics 4

5. Working Group on Gender Statistics Fist meeting of the Statistical Commission for Africa: 21-23 January 2008 Setting up of six working groups including one on Gender statistics Rationale behind the setting up of the WG: Despite increasing awareness on the importance of gender statistics: no appreciable change in statistical programmes of NSOs and other data producers 5

6. Working Group on Gender Statistics (Cont’d) There is a need to: Accompany them with practical examples of how to engender statistics Tap into existing initiatives Formulate focused programmes at both national & regional levels To achieve, build on some best practices: Annual gender statistics meetings of statisticians, users, training institutions at the regional level Meetings on gender issues and to learn from shared experiences on how to be gender responsive on all issues 6

7. Recommendations Setting up a regional programme by the UNECA Organize a regional high level policy dialogue conference on gender statistics under the auspices of the UNECA Setting up of a gender statistics network based on GESNET The UNECA to ensure that the working group on gender statistics be functional on a continuous basis Development of country gender statistics strategies drawn from the regional programme 7

8. Proposed regional programme on gender statistics 8

9. Training component Engendering Curricula for: Statistical training centres NSO in-service training programmes Development of a Gender Statistics course module for: Statistical training centres NSO in-service training programmes Refresher (On-the-job) gender statistics courses for the already employed statisticians 9

10. Engendering Censuses, surveys and administrative record systems Data capture instruments Field processes Analysis Report writing Dissemination processes 10

11. Research component Compile and disseminate statistics on gender Conduct gender-related impact analysis Develop methodologies for the production of gender statistics 11

12. Other components Awareness creation component: Development, production and utilization of gender advocacy materials Conducting workshops and seminars for various target audiences Networking component: Creation of a gender statistics network involving all stakeholders (Africa GESNET initiative) Uploading useful resources/literature to be accessible to all Engendering statistics in NSOs: Mainstreaming gender in the NSO structures Setting up an auditing unit in NSOs 12

13. The way forward Organize an Africa Regional conference on Gender Statistics: June 2008 in Kampala: A High-level Policy dialogue aimed at sensitising policy makers, such as NSO executives, key sector executives, training centres and key users Form a task force to workout the details of the regional programme Regional agenda to work as a guide to the different national activities Set up a mechanism for monitoring and evaluation should be set up at both national and regional levels 13

14. Thank you! African Centre for Statistics Visit us at http:www.uneca.org/statistics/