Countries are on average only halfway to strong gender data; limited capacity and funding remain constraints

Timely gender data are critical for monitoring the SDGs and informing policies, research and advocacy. Critical gaps persist, however, in data and capacities to generate them. The Gender Data Outlook Index, developed by UN-Women and PARIS21, offers a pioneering measure of national achievements and challenges to guide investments in better gender data production and use. For the 83 countries covered by the index, the average score is 0.533 (out of a possible 1), indicating that countries are on average at the halfway point in planning, coordinating, producing and making gender data available. Performance is highest in gender data production (0.591), followed by an enabling environment (0.547) and data accessibility (0.520), reflecting traditional priorities. 

Comparing the index with the World Bank’s Statistical Performance Indicators (SPI) shows how gender data capacity can diverge from overall statistical performance. In some high-income countries, such as Belgium, Ireland and Singapore, overall statistical capacity is significantly higher than their Gender Data Outlook Index scores would suggest. Conversely, some low-income countries, such as Sierra Leone and Uganda, show stronger gender data capacity compared to countries with similar overall statistical performance. Key factors influencing gender data capacity include having regular funding, statistical laws and road maps that mandate the production of gender statistics, gender statistics working groups, and dialogues between users and producers. A gender statistics entity in the national women’s machinery and recent census activity are other significant elements. Investment in gender data collection and use needs to grow. Yet half of all projects on statistics and data supported by official development assistance devote no or negligible funds (less than 0.05 per cent) to gender-related activities. A review of 74 countries found that while two thirds mentioned gender statistics in their national strategies, less than a third allocated a budget for them. 

The Gender Data Outlook Index and overall statistical capacity, 2024