Amid growing setbacks on gender equality and increasing financial constraints, African policymakers, gender experts, and development specialists are calling for renewed collaboration and sustained investment in national gender data systems across the continent.

This is the message of the ongoing Seventh Africa Gender Statistics Forum taking place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The Forum was co-organized by Côte d’Ivoire’s National Statistics Agency,  the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank Group, the Economic Commission for Africa, UN Women, and Open Data Watch, with funding support from the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Trust Fund.

The Forum is exploring Africa’s gender data systems, ways to build statistical capacity, and policies to advance gender equality and women's empowerment across the continent.

Representatives from host country Côte d’Ivoire said the country has made notable progress in recent years in collecting, analyzing and using gender data to guide public policy.

“These statistics are essential to understand the lived realities of girls and women and to design effective programs and policies that eliminate inequality,” Thiekoro Doumbia, Director General of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Statistics Agency, told attendees.

Held under the theme “Sound Statistics for ALL Women and Girls: Rights, Equality and Empowerment,” the Forum has attracted more than 150 participants from 40 African countries, covering a diversity of sectors - including government representatives, statisticians, civil society, and development organizations.

At the forum, participants have reflected on Africa’s journey in gender statistics since the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action - a landmark international agreement aimed at advancing women's rights and gender equality.

“Statistics provide a solid foundation for good decision-making, and gender statistics are crucial for identifying vulnerabilities among women, girls, men, and boys and responding appropriately,” said William Muhwava, Chief for Demographic and Social Statistics Section of the UN Economic Commission for Africa.

The high-level panels, technical and networking sessions have focused on priority issues ranging from gender-based violence statistics and inclusive data systems to social protection, migration, and sets of standards, principles, and rules that guide behavior and decision-making.

During the forum, the African Development Bank and the Economic Commission for Africa’s Africa Gender Index 2023 Analytical Report, was showcased - a flagship publication that measures the state of gender equality across the continent.

According to the Index, African women and girls continue to be left behind in economic, social and political spheres, despite progress in some sectors.

“This Forum is a unique opportunity to turn numbers into narratives, analysis into action, and data into social justice for all African women and girls,” said Nathalie Gahunga, Manager of the Gender and Women Empowerment Division at the African Development Bank.

“Data is the key to change. Yet, in 15 African countries, only 52 percent of gender-related indicators clearly differentiate between women and men. This gap undermines progress in maternal health, political participation, and violence prevention,“ she added.

According to UN Women and the Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century PARIS21, African countries have achieved just over 50 percent of their potential gender data capacity. While some countries are performing above the global average, the continent lags behind.

“An Africa that is people-driven needs sound data that accurately reflects the realities of women and girls,” said Aberash Tariku Abaye Africa, Coordination Statistics Expert at the African Union Institute for Statistics.

“Including women in Africa’s development is therefore critical for sustainable economic growth and social development,” said Adjaratou Ndiaye, Country Representative, UN Women, Cote Ivoire.  “We can’t achieve that without strong gender data and this calls for countries and sectors to work closely together to identify and address gaps for stronger data systems across the region.”

The Forum is expected to conclude with recommendations aimed at supporting institutions, processes, and resources to produce, disseminate, and utilize gender-related data. This will ensure coordination between gender data producers and users, grounding policies across Africa in solid evidence and real-life data.