Access Info Europe has called on the European Commission to collect and publish more data on gender equality, after finding low levels of gender data publication across Europe and revealing that the EU’s Statistical Office, Eurostat, has excluded various gender-related indicators as not relevant.
Access Info Europe is a human rights organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the right of access to information globally, as a tool for defending human rights, advancing participation in decision making, and increasing accountability and fighting corruption.
“It is unacceptable that, in a developed region like the EU, we lack basic data on victims of sexual harassment, on seats held by women in legislative bodies, or on time spent on unpaid domestic word. The EU should act immediately to rectify this situation,” added Helen Darbishire, Executive Director of Access Info.
Access Info noted that EU region currently scores 67.4 points out of 100 on the Gender Equality Index 2019, elaborated by the European Institute for Gender Equality, and has only increased 5.4 points since 2005.
In letters sent to Helena Dalli, EU Commissioner for Equality, and Paolo Gentiloni, EU Commissioner for Economy in charge of Eurostat and coordination of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Access Info noted that little over half (57%) of the SDG gender-related indicators are published in the European region, as shown in its latest report “Opening Up SDG 5: How much do we know about Gender Equality?”.
A further concern is that Eurostat, the European Union Statistical Office, collects and publishes limited data on the Sustainable Development Goals indicators, having selected just 100 indicators, of which only 55 correspond to the 231 UN indicators recommended for counties to track.
Indicators considered not relevant by Eurostat include data on female genital mutilation, on women making their own informed decisions about sexual relations and reproduction, on underage marriage, and on ownership of a mobile phone, disaggregated by sex. This lack of data from the EU compounds the problems with data availability at the national level.
“We cannot see how the Commission can play a leadership role in advancing the gender equality when crucial information is missing. Without data we cannot have an informed public debate and evidence-based policy making,” said Helen Darbishire, Executive Director of Access Info.
By Segun Fatuase
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(with Agency reports)
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