Remarks at the 7th Annual Gender Statistics Forum

Salutations:

• Honourable Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development;
• Honourable Members of Parliament;
• Representatives of Development Partners;
• All Government Officials in their respective various capacities;
• Members of the Academia;
• Representatives of the Private Sector;
• Representatives of Civil Society Organisations;
• Colleagues from the UN System;
• All Participants;
• Ladies and Gentlemen. 

I am honoured to address you today at the 7th Annual Gender Statistics Forum on behalf of the entire UN system in Uganda. Our gathering underscores the critical importance of gender statistics in shaping evidence-based policies and driving inclusive development in Uganda.

Sustainable Development Goal seventeen (17) calls for strengthening the means of implementation and revitalizing global partnerships for sustainable development. This goal emphasizes the need for increased capacity to implement and monitor SDGs at all levels. Stronger data systems are essential for national policy processes and foundational to investments in SDGs. This was reemphasized during the 2023 SDG Summit, which was also attended by the Right  Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda. The Summit highlighted data as a High Impact Initiative to accelerate progress on SDGs, with investments in data yielding an average “dividend” of $32.00, for every single dollar invested. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since my arrival a few weeks ago in Uganda, I have been fully appraised of Government’s commitment and the incredible work being done, in collaboration with non-state actors, to increase the availability of data and statistics.  I wish to extend my appreciation to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) for their effective approach to coordinating the National Statistical System and maintaining Uganda as a continental reference for good practices on data and statistics. Uganda has achieved significant progress in producing data on sustainable development indicators, emphasizing disaggregation and the integration of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) issues. This year’s Voluntary National Review (VNR) report for Uganda highlighted that data is available for one hundred twenty-seven (127) out of two hundred one (201) applicable indicators. Notably, the number of gender-specific SDG indicators with available data increased from eleven (11) in 2018 to thirty-two (32) out of fifty-four (54) by 2023. This advancement is driven by improved routine administrative data collection, increased gender inclusivity in surveys, and specialized gender surveys. We are proud to be associated with these successes.

Dear Participants,

Despite these commendable achievements, substantial gaps remain, especially in gender data production and utilization. Our recent assessment of the Third National Development Plan (NDP(III)), in collaboration with the Economic Policy Research Centre, revealed that there are some challenges. There is inadequate gender disaggregation and lack of complete trend analysis, which is an obstacle to effective programming and progress monitoring.  There are also operational and capacity gaps that limit the generation and utilisation of gender statistics. 

Addressing these issues is crucial for improving the availability, accuracy and relevance of gender data and statistics in Uganda and will require more effort. Allow me to mention a few.

1. Policy and legal reforms to ensure that the UBOS Act of 1998 and the various enabling policies clearly specify gender-disaggregated statistics as a priority. This will result in better budget allocation to allow for production of adequate disaggregated data.
2. Update and expansion of the current national statistical coordination structure to fully recognize and include more data producers and users, such as civil society and the private sector. 
3. Adopting more advanced technology and the use of non-traditional approaches to data generation and utilization such as big data, machine learning, citizen-generated data, among others. These approaches have the capability to complement the traditional data sources and produce more timely and valuable insights that can inform decision making.

As our offer of support to Government, the UN system in Uganda is currently implementing a USD$42 million Joint Government/UN Programme for Data and Statistics (JPDS). This initiative is designed to drive transformative improvements and catalytic change in the quality, relevance, and utilization of SDG data and statistics, aligning with international human rights and gender equality standards. By fostering better coordinated support to data and statistics, this programme will be pivotal in optimizing development financing and accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As we reflect on our development journey today, we need to remember that investing in gender statistics is not only about fulfilling international commitments, but also a strategic move to secure Uganda’s future. Strengthening data systems and prioritizing adequate funding for gender statistics are essential steps towards building a more equitable and sustainable society. 

I wish you fruitful deliberations.