"Gender Data and the SDG Indicators: Measuring What Matters for Women and Girls"

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Gender data — statistics that adequately reflect the realities of women's and men's lives and illuminate gender-based inequalities — is fundamental to UNFPA's mandate and to SDG monitoring. Yet gender data gaps are pervasive: fewer than half of the SDG gender-related indicators have sufficient data for global tracking; many countries lack sex-disaggregated data on key health, education, and economic outcomes; and emerging issues (GBV prevalence, time use, asset ownership, bodily autonomy) are measured in only a minority of countries.

UNFPA contributes to closing gender data gaps through: supporting national statistical offices in collecting sex-disaggregated and gender-specific data; co-leading the Gender Data Alliance; producing flagship publications that highlight gender data findings (particularly the "My Body is My Own" analysis of bodily autonomy); and serving as custodian for SDG gender indicators (5.3.1, 5.3.2, 5.6.1, 5.6.2). UN Women leads the broader gender data agenda through its "Women Count" programme, and UNFPA's work is complementary — focused specifically on SRHR, bodily autonomy, and population data.

KEY FACTS

Gender data gaps: Of 54 SDG gender-related indicators, fewer than half have sufficient data for global tracking (UN Women 2022)
Sex-disaggregated data: Only 42% of countries systematically produce sex-disaggregated statistics across major data domains
SRHR-specific gaps: GBV prevalence data is available for approximately 90 countries (not all); bodily autonomy data (SDG 5.6.1) available for 68 countries; FGM data for approximately 30 countries
SDG 5.6.1 (bodily autonomy): Only 57% of women in surveyed countries can make their own decisions on all three dimensions (sexual relations, contraceptive use, health care)
SDG 5.6.2 (legal framework): No country has full legal protection for SRHR across all components measured
UNFPA custodianship: UNFPA is custodian for indicators 5.3.1 (child marriage), 5.3.2 (FGM), 5.6.1 (bodily autonomy), and 5.6.2 (legal frameworks)
Gender Data Alliance: Multi-stakeholder initiative to improve gender data production and use
Time-use surveys: Critical for measuring unpaid care work (relevant to gender equality); conducted in fewer than 100 countries

DETAIL

UNFPA's Gender Data Contributions

Bodily autonomy measurement: UNFPA's introduction of the bodily autonomy indicator (SDG 5.6.1) in the 2021 State of World Population report represented a significant contribution to gender data. The indicator measures whether women can make their own decisions on three dimensions: whether to have sexual intercourse with their partner, whether to use contraception, and whether to access healthcare. The finding that only 57% of women in surveyed countries have autonomy across all three dimensions was a powerful advocacy tool.

Harmful practices data: UNFPA, as custodian for child marriage and FGM indicators, compiles and reports global data from DHS, MICS, and other surveys. The quality and availability of this data directly affects the ability to track progress toward SDG 5.3 elimination targets.

Census and CRVS: UNFPA's support for census operations and CRVS strengthening contributes to the foundational sex-disaggregated population data that enables all gender analysis.

GBV data: UNFPA supports GBV prevalence measurement through DHS domestic violence modules and WHO multi-country study methodology, though coverage remains insufficient for comprehensive global monitoring.

Challenges

Sensitive SRHR topics (GBV, abortion, sexual behaviour) are difficult to measure accurately due to stigma and underreporting
Many countries lack the institutional capacity for regular gender-sensitive data collection
Gender data competes with other statistical priorities for limited national budgets
Intersectional disaggregation (gender × disability × ethnicity × age) is available in very few countries

SOURCES