Ghana Statistical Service and the
National Development Planning
Commission
27 January 2009
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The statistical system of Ghana has known
better days
◦ In a relatively centralized system
◦ Then central bureau of statistics posted staff
to MDAs
◦ Data were more regularly produced and
published
Currently, users manage with what they can get
Regaining the grounds we lost over more than
a decade, is the singular goal of the Statistical
Service
 Strategic
planning for
◦ National development
◦ Statistics
 How
gender issues are addressed
 Challenges
 Ways for improvement
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Poverty reduction strategy – the instrument
for development planning
◦ Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy 2003-2005 (GPRS
I)
◦ Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy 2006-2009
(GPRS II)
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Annual budgets
Strategic plans of the sector ministries –
covering different periods (often not drawn to
the GPRS)
Long term development plan
 Reflects
data needs for
monitoring
◦ GPRS
◦ Sector plans
 Based
on data needs of
◦ Sector plans for statistics
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Gender issues in GPRS II
◦ Good governance (Strategic goal – Ensuring gender
equity)
◦ Monitoring and evaluation
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Gender issues long term plan
◦ Better integrated in the planning document
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Monitoring and evaluation of the GPRS
◦ Good governance (Strategic goal – Promoting
evidence-based decision making)
◦ Annual Progress Report
In all sections of the APR
 Analysis of the situation with gender
perspective
 Presentation of data with:
◦ Sex dissagregation
◦ Age and sex dissagregation (where
relevant/necessary)
In section of “Ensuring gender equity”
 Highlighting gender concerns
 Presenting more detailed anaysis on gender
gaps and trends in gender differentials
Example 2007 Annual Progress Report (APR)
 Gender dimension not clearly articulated in the
different chapters (ie. Pillars of the GPRS)
 Targets and indicators not specified with respect to
gender
 Presentation of gender statistics better in Human
Resources Development chapter BUT:
◦ Only few tables have sex-disaggregation
◦ Sex disaggregation not across other variables (regions,
sex)
On Governance …
 Two tables presented on same topic (one
disaggregated by sex)
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Gender issues not well integrated into the
strategies (objectives, activities, targets,
indicators, etc.)
◦ And why not?
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Sex-disaggregated data nearly absent from
the report
Gender equity not translated to other areas
(tied more to empowerment)
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Reorientation of process
◦ From development issues to gender-specific
(development issues)
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Capacity building
◦ What skills should stakeholders have? NOT JUST gender
issues but also statistical literacy
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Data availability
◦ Statistics plan should address all the data needs of GPRS
and other sector development plans
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Data presentation
◦ Totals only, men/women only, or both
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Technical review
◦ Making the necessary input to the APR (expertise
required)