In the bustling broadcast studio of Tumbatu FM in Zanzibar, Juma Haji Juma understands that his voice carries weight, but he knows that his words carry even more power when they are backed by hard evidence. Since 2024, his community radio station has transformed into a vital hub for social change, airing a monthly segment dedicated to the sobering reality of gender-based violence (GBV). By broadcasting specific statistics on reported cases in the local area, the station has moved beyond mere anecdote, providing the community with a mirror that reflects the true scale of a long-shrouded crisis. “When news is backed by data, it carries more weight,” Juma explains, noting that the presence of numbers doesn’t just inform—it demands solutions.
The philosophy driving Tumbatu FM is part of a much larger, global paradigm shift. For decades, advocates for women’s rights have operated on the front lines, often knowing instinctively where the gaps in equality lie but struggling to secure the resources needed to bridge them. Decision-makers in government and finance typically demand empirical evidence before committing to large-scale policy changes. Yet, paradoxically, gender data is frequently the last sector to receive investment. UN Women, recognizing this “data gap” as a fundamental barrier to progress, launched the Women Count programme in 2016. With an investment exceeding USD 80 million, the initiative has set out to prove that when you measure the lives of women and girls accurately, you create the roadmap for their empowerment.
This investment has fostered a sustainable ecosystem where data is not just collected and archived, but actively utilized to shape laws, humanitarian responses, and economic policies. From the environmental challenges in the Pacific to the corporate boardrooms of Eastern Europe, the production of timely, disaggregated evidence is proving to be a life-saving intervention. The impact of this work is perhaps most visible in the United Republic of Tanzania, where the integration of data into community life is breaking down centuries-old taboos.
In Zanzibar, the collaboration between UN Women and the Office of the Chief Government Statistician has resulted in the monthly release of local violence statistics. These aren’t just dry reports; they are the lifeblood of programs on Kati Radio and Tumbatu FM. Presenters like Amina Mohamed at the youth-led Kati Radio use these figures to challenge the cultural norms that once forced survivors into silence. By hosting expert interviews and opening phone lines to listeners, the station demystifies GBV, transforming it from a “private shame” into a public health priority. The results are quantifiable: in 2024, the Zanzibar Police reported 1,809 cases of violence—a 28 percent increase compared to 2020. This surge does not necessarily indicate an increase in violence itself, but rather a monumental shift in the confidence of women to report it. Listener Fatma Haji Silima serves as a testament to this change, noting that the information provided on the air gave her the “confidence to help others in my community do the same.”
Beyond the airwaves, these statistics are fueling Tanzania’s National Plan of Action to End Violence against Women and Children. Policymakers are no longer guessing where to allocate resources; they are using the data to establish gender desks for confidential reporting, specialized police training, and “one-stop centers” where survivors can find health, legal, and counseling services under a single roof. This is the essence of data-driven impact: turning a spreadsheet into a safety net.
The power of data is equally evident in the high-stakes environment of disaster response. In Kenya, the Mathare River’s sudden flooding in April 2024 brought devastation to Nairobi’s informal settlements. Isabella Nzioki, a Community Health Promoter, found herself at the center of the chaos. Just a month prior, she had participated in a UN Women and GROOTS-Kenya training session focused on gender-responsive data collection. As her neighbors’ homes were swallowed by the rising banks, Nzioki didn’t just provide physical aid; she reached for her notebook.
Nzioki meticulously recorded the details of 81 survivors, identifying that 64 of them were women. This granular approach allowed the Kenya Red Cross to act with surgical precision. They were able to immediately identify the most vulnerable individuals, such as pregnant and lactating women, who required specific nutritional and medical support. This “citizen gender data” bridged the gap between the survivors and the humanitarian agencies, ensuring that government financial assistance and mobile clinics reached those with the most urgent needs. For Nzioki, the experience was a revelation in how disaggregated data can serve as a vital link during a crisis, ensuring that no one is overlooked in the scramble for relief.
While data can save lives during a flood, it can also dismantle the structural inequalities that persist in the workplace and the home. In Georgia, UN Women’s national Time-Use Survey provided a startling look at the domestic divide. The data revealed the immense burden of unpaid care work carried by women, a factor that often stifles their professional growth. When TBC Bank, one of Georgia’s leading financial institutions, reviewed these findings, they realized that despite offering paid parental leave, not a single male employee had utilized it between 2021 and 2022.
Armed with this evidence, the bank introduced mandatory gender equality training and began actively encouraging fathers to take paternity leave. Avtandil Tsereteli, a 34-year-old employee, was among the first to step forward when his son, Alexandre, was born. By choosing to take leave, Tsereteli allowed his wife to continue her career while he built a foundational bond with his child. This shift in corporate culture is now being mirrored in the public sector, where the Georgia Civil Service Bureau is developing legislative amendments to include non-transferable paternity leave, ensuring that the responsibility of care is shared more equitably across society.
On the other side of the globe, the Kingdom of Tonga is using gender data to confront the existential threat of climate change. In 2022, the nation conducted a landmark Gender and Environment Survey (GES), which found that an staggering 93 percent of the population had experienced three or more natural disasters within a single year. However, the survey went deeper, revealing that women were disproportionately affected by the loss of crops and the destruction of traditional handicraft materials—their primary sources of income.
These findings have fundamentally altered Tonga’s approach to climate resilience. The Ministry of Finance used the GES data to revise the 2024 budget and the Agriculture Sector Plan, ensuring that climate adaptation strategies are gender-responsive. Anna Jane Lagi of the Women’s Affairs and Gender Equality Division notes that the data allows for better coordination during emergencies, enabling first responders to understand exactly what women need when the next storm hits. When Tonga’s Minister of Finance presented these findings at COP28, it wasn’t just a report; it was a call to action for the international community to recognize that environmental justice and gender equality are inextricably linked.
The success of the Women Count programme, supported by the governments of Australia, France, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden, alongside the Gates Foundation, demonstrates that gender statistics are not a luxury—they are a necessity. Since its inception, the programme has triggered a radical shift in how the world views the lives of women through the lens of numbers. As the initiative prepares for its third phase of implementation in 2026, the message remains clear: to change the world, you must first be able to see it clearly.
For 15 years, the mission of UN Women has been to stand with every woman and girl, ensuring their rights are protected and their potential is realized. This is a pivotal moment in history where the progress made must be sustained through bold, transformative action. The transition from data to impact is more than just a technical process; it is a moral imperative. By investing in the truth of women’s lived experiences, we empower local leaders, protect the vulnerable, and deliver the true change that a more equitable world demands.
