Effective use of data for gender equality discussed

LAHORE:The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), with support from UN Women and the United States, hosted the two-day 21st Inter-Provincial Ministerial Group (IPMG) meeting in provincial metropolis on Thursday.

The IPMG was established in 2009 to enhance coordination on gender equality and women’s empowerment in Pakistan.

The participants discussed how to use data more effectively in efforts to advance gender equality in Pakistan. The meeting showcased stakeholders’ dedication and commitment to advancing gender equality and empowering women in Pakistan.

NCSW Chairperson Nilofar Bakhtiar said this assembly serves as a crucial platform, fostering collaboration and initiating positive change on the path to gender equality and the empowerment of women in Pakistan.

Country Representative of UN Women Ms Sharmeela Rasool stated the IPMG functions as an inventive platform for devising tailored solutions that cater to the unique needs of Pakistan. Acknowledging the crucial role of data, we recognise its importance in identifying policy gaps and empowering officials to make informed decisions, she added.

US Consul General, Lahore Ms Kristin Hawkins added that the National Gender Data Portal (NGDP), which is financially supported by the United States, is a credible and comprehensive source of gender-related data. Better data collection, analysis, and reporting paves the way for more informed decision making, both by the Government of Pakistan and donors working to eradicate gender-based violence and to empower women.”

Minister for Human Rights Khalil George emphasised that as part of the Inter-Provincial Ministerial Group, we stand at the forefront of transformative action. The IPMG functions as a catalyst, igniting innovative strategies and collaborative efforts, steering us towards a future where equality and justice prevail for all, he added.

The second day of the meeting focused on strengthening the NGDP, a portal which was established with the support of UN Women and NUST under the umbrella of NCSW. NGDP is envisioned as a computerised database of women related statistics/information organised and programmed in such a way that it produces regular analysis and reports on the status of women for the decision makers at the national, provincial and district levels.

All relevant stakeholders shared their valuable inputs, insights and challenges faced by them for collection of data. Focal persons of NGDP from all provinces including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan attended the refresher training session.

Training instructor debriefed all the participants about the importance of the NGDP and helped to incorporate the data incorporate the data in the portal and sharing updates with the NGDP Secretariat at NCSW. The event ended with the with valuable inputs from all the focal persons of the NGDP.