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
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.
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 interviewer’s 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 underreporting or other bias related to either women or men.
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
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, women’s 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.
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
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