From Statistics to Sisterhood: How Gender-Driven Data is Reshaping the Global Landscape for Women
In the quiet corners of community radio stations and the high-pressure boardrooms of international banks, a quiet revolution is taking place—one measured not in slogans, but in spreadsheets. For decades, the specific struggles of women and girls were often obscured by “gender-neutral” statistics that failed to capture the nuances of their lives. Today, that invisibility is being dismantled. As Juma Haji Juma, a radio presenter at Tumbatu FM in Zanzibar, aptly notes, “When news is backed by data, it carries more weight—and encourages people to find the right solutions.” This philosophy sits at the heart of a global movement to turn raw numbers into radical impact, proving that to count women is the first step toward making women’s lives count.
The persistent challenge in the fight for gender equality has rarely been a lack of passion; it has been a lack of precision. While decision-makers frequently call for evidence-based policy, gender data is often the last sector to receive meaningful investment. Recognizing this systemic gap, UN Women launched the “Women Count” programme in 2016. With a staggering investment of over USD 80 million, the initiative has moved beyond mere academic exercise to create a sustainable ecosystem where data is collected, analyzed, and—most importantly—used to drive legislative and social change. From the floodplains of Kenya to the legislative halls of Georgia, this data-first approach is filling institutional voids and saving lives in real-time.
In the United Republic of Tanzania, the power of data is being broadcast over the airwaves to dismantle centuries-old taboos. In Zanzibar, community stations like Tumbatu FM and the youth-led Kati Radio have transformed their programming by integrating monthly gender-based violence (GBV) statistics provided by UN Women and the Zanzibar Office of the Chief Government Statistician. For many women in these communities, cultural norms once dictated a “culture of silence” regarding domestic abuse. However, the consistent reporting of local statistics has begun to demystify the problem.
“Before, I didn’t know where to report cases of violence,” explains Fatma Haji Silima, a regular listener of Tumbatu FM. “Now, I have the information and confidence to help others in my community do the same.” The results are tangible. In 2024, the Zanzibar Police reported 1,809 cases of violence—a 28 percent increase compared to 2020. This spike is not necessarily indicative of rising violence, but rather of rising trust and awareness. Because the data highlighted the scale of the issue, it forced a systemic response: the creation of specialized gender desks for confidential reporting and “one-stop centers” where survivors can access a suite of medical, legal, and psychological services in a single location.
The utility of gender data becomes even more urgent during humanitarian crises, where the “one size fits all” approach to aid often leaves the most vulnerable behind. In April 2024, the Mathare River in Nairobi, Kenya, burst its banks, a devastating consequence of climate-induced flooding. In the chaos of the first night, Isabella Nzioki, a Community Health Promoter, did something unexpected: she reached for a notebook. Having recently participated in a gender-data training session organized by UN Women and GROOTS-Kenya, Nzioki understood that general numbers wouldn’t be enough to ensure a fair recovery.
Nzioki meticulously recorded the specific needs of 81 survivors, 64 of whom were women. By disaggregating this data, she was able to identify pregnant and lactating mothers who required specialized nutritional support and medical care. The Kenya Red Cross utilized her findings to bypass the usual delays in aid distribution, targeting food assistance, water treatment, and government financial aid with surgical precision. “I was so impressed with how these disaggregated data helped to bridge gaps between survivors and humanitarian agencies,” Nzioki recalls. Her efforts proved that in the wake of a disaster, data is as essential as bread and water.
The “Women Count” programme also addresses the invisible labor that often keeps women tethered to poverty: unpaid care work. In Georgia, the findings of a national Time-Use Survey conducted between 2020 and 2021 revealed a stark reality regarding the domestic burden placed on women. This data acted as a wake-up call for the private sector. TBC Bank, one of the country’s leading financial institutions, noticed a troubling trend in its own ranks: between 2021 and 2022, not a single male employee had taken paternity leave.
Armed with the survey findings, the bank introduced mandatory gender equality training and began actively promoting its six-month fully paid parental leave policy for men. For 34-year-old Avtandil Tsereteli, the data-backed shift in corporate culture was life-changing. He opted to take paternity leave when his son, Alexandre, was born, allowing his wife to pursue her career without interruption. “It was one of the most significant decisions I will ever make,” he says. This cultural shift is now being mirrored in the public sector, where UN Women is supporting legislative amendments to the Civil Service Bureau to include non-transferable paternity leave, ensuring that the burden—and the joy—of caregiving is shared more equitably across Georgian society.
Perhaps nowhere is the intersection of gender and data more critical than in the fight against climate change. In the Kingdom of Tonga, the 2022 Gender and Environment Survey (GES) provided a landmark look at how environmental degradation disproportionately affects women. The survey found that 93 percent of respondents had survived at least three disasters in a single year, ranging from acid rain and thunderstorms to volcanic explosions. However, the data went deeper, revealing that women were significantly more likely to lose their livelihoods or face increased domestic workloads following these events.
This evidence has triggered a massive overhaul of Tongan policy. The Ministry of Finance utilized the GES findings to revise the 2024 national budget, and the Ministry of Agriculture updated its sector plans to better support women farmers. Anna Jane Lagi, of Tonga’s Women’s Affairs and Gender Equality Division, notes that the data allows for better coordination during emergencies, ensuring that first responders are trained to handle the specific needs of women in the field. When Tonga’s Minister of Finance presented these findings at COP28, it wasn’t just a report; it was a blueprint for how small island nations can build resilience by putting women at the center of climate strategy.
As the Women Count programme prepares to enter its third phase in 2026, the global community is beginning to see the “radical shift” that occurs when gender statistics are prioritized. Supported by the governments of Australia, France, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden, along with the Gates Foundation, the initiative has proved that data is not a passive resource. It is a catalyst. It turns anecdotal evidence into undeniable facts, and it turns those facts into laws that protect, policies that empower, and programs that heal.
This is a pivotal moment for the global gender equality movement. For 15 years, UN Women has operated on the front lines, advocating for the rights of women and girls in every corner of the globe. The progress made through the Women Count programme serves as a reminder that change is possible when we have the courage to look at the numbers and the conviction to act on them. Now is the time to sustain this momentum, to support local women leaders, and to ensure that the data of today becomes the lived reality of a more equal tomorrow. We are experienced enough to deliver, and with the right evidence in hand, we are bold enough to transform the world.
