Integrating a gender perspective into data collection: an overview

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Integrating a gender perspective into data
collection an overview

• Workshop on Integrating a Gender Perspective into
  National Statistics,
• Kampala, Uganda 4 - 7 December 2012
• Ionica Berevoescu
• Consultant
• United Nations Statistics Division

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A general model for integrating a gender
perspective into censuses and surveys

• 1. Setting out the objectives of surveys or
  censuses
• The integration of a gender perspective into data
  collection should be taken into account from the
  stage of planning the data collection and setting
  out the objectives of the survey or census.
• ? Both gender statisticians and gender
  specialists representing the point of view of
  data users should be part of the team developing
  the data collection objectives
• One of the factors taken into account in this
  planning stage is the review of the previous data
  collections within the same programme
• ? It is important that a gender perspective is
  incorporated in the review of questionnaire and
  training materials, both in terms of topics
  covered and the specific implementations of
  concepts and definitions.
• ? For example, analysis of re-interview surveys
  from previous census round can show, whether
  there was a sex-selective underreporting of some
  characteristics and whether those errors were due
  to poorly phrased questions or instructions,
  proxy response, sex of the interviewers,
  shortcoming related to qualifications of
  interviewers, or due to coding or data entry
  mistakes.

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• 2. Questionnaire
• The language, terms, phrasing of the questions
  should not include gender biases. It is
  recommended that
• the questionnaire contains very short explanatory
  notes for the interviewer when needed, with more
  elaborate instructions, explanations of terms, or
  definitions and key concepts, provided in the
  interviewers manual.
• probing questions are used in order to reduce
  under-reporting related to women, both to help
  respondents remember something that they may have
  forgotten and to help interviewers properly code
  the answers of some questions.
• questions are written out in detail, with the
  reference period clearly specified. In some cases
  it may also be helpful to give examples of
  responses or the complete list of categories of
  answers.
• potential answers to questions should be
  categorized and pre-coded in such a way that
  answers related mainly to women are given the
  same importance as those mainly related to men,
  and most vulnerable categories of women or men
  can be identified.
• questions should be kept as short and simple as
  possible, free from ambiguity, using common every
  day terms, so that all respondents, regardless of
  their educational level, have no difficulty in
  understanding them.
• questions should not influence answers or be
  leading. Keywords in the questions should not
  apply exclusively to one of the two sexes (for
  example, housewife or fisherman) and they
  should maintain their meaning when translated
  into major languages of a country.
• field-testing of the questionnaire should show
  whether women and men understand the questions in
  the same way and to detect potential
  under-reporting or other bias related to either
  women or men.

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• 3. Manuals
• should have elaborate explanations on questions
  that may lead to underreporting or sex-selected
  underreporting
• contain instructions and examples of how to use
  probing questions or lists
• general language should be free of gender biases
  or other stereotypes related to the
  characteristics measured
• examples given should not reinforce gender
  stereotypes

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• 4. Samples, units of enumeration, and units of
  data collection
• Samples should cover all groups of
  population/households/agricultural holdings known
  to have distinct gender patterns.
• ?In agricultural censuses and surveys, for
  example, the exclusion of small holdings, a
  sub-sector where women and family members play a
  particularly important role, can be a drawback.
  When holdings below a certain size and/or
  holdings located in urban or peri-urban areas are
  excluded from censuses and surveys, womens
  contribution to agricultural production may be
  underestimated. In addition, these excluded
  holdings could be playing an important role in
  food production and food security.
• The sample design should also ensure that
  reliable statistics are produced for both women
  and men in sufficient detail and allow
  disaggregation by other characteristics as
  required by meaningful gender analysis
• The units of data collection should be as
  disaggregated as possible in order to reveal
  gender-based inequalities within the household or
  holdings
• ? For example, data on ownership of property can
  be collected at individual level, while data on
  decision-making in agricultural activities can be
  collected at sub-holding level, for plots of land
  and types of livestock.

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• 5. Selection and training of interviewers and
  supervisors
• Both women and men should be recruited as
  interviewers or supervisors, unless the
  sensitivity of data collection requires otherwise
  (for example, women more likely to disclose
  information on sensitive topics to women
  interviewers only).
• Both women and men are selected as training
  instructors and as trainers presented in
  audio-visual materials.
• Training should include a general component
  focused on sex-based stereotypes and attitudes.
• Training provides guidelines regarding
  sex-selective underreporting or misreporting.
  Special attention should be dedicated to issues
  such as
• recording of the members of the household
• selecting mothers or other women as respondents
  when information on health and of children is
  needed
• use of economic activity lists, including lists
  of own-account productive activities and use of
  probing questions
• the criteria to identify the household head

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• 6. Census advertising
• Census advertising is an important tool for
  increasing the completeness of census coverage
• Women should be considered one of the primary
  targets for advertising, especially in countries
  where a lot of underreporting is related to
  women.
• Women, girls and their contribution to the
  economy and society may be one of the subjects of
  the media campaign
• Women, especially illiterate women, may have
  easier access to some types of media than others