PROPOSAL FOR POSSIBLE INDICATORS PROPOSAL FOR POSSIBLE INDICATORS ON ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND ON ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND

VIOLENCE AGAINST THE GIRL CHILDVIOLENCE AGAINST THE GIRL CHILD

Division for the Advancement of Division for the Advancement of

WomenWomen

Inter-Agency and Expert Group Meeting on the Inter-Agency and Expert Group Meeting on the Development of Gender Statistics, Development of Gender Statistics, 12-14 December 2006, New York12-14 December 2006, New York

OutlineOutline

A global consensus on the need to expand A global consensus on the need to expand availability of data on gender issues and availability of data on gender issues and special population groups of womenspecial population groups of women

New CSW mandate for indicatorsNew CSW mandate for indicators

Key messages from EGM on the girl childKey messages from EGM on the girl child

Findings on mainstreaming the girl child in Findings on mainstreaming the girl child in PRPs and MDG reportsPRPs and MDG reports

Next stepsNext steps

A global consensus to expand availability of data on A global consensus to expand availability of data on gender issues and special population groups of gender issues and special population groups of

womenwomen

At the 48th session of the Commission on the StatusAt the 48th session of the Commission on the Status, a , a high-level roundtable on gaps and challenges in high-level roundtable on gaps and challenges in measuring progress in implementation of the Beijing measuring progress in implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome document of the twenty-third special session of the document of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, underscored the General Assembly, underscored the importance of sex-importance of sex-disaggregated data and gender-specific indicatorsdisaggregated data and gender-specific indicators for effective, targeted policy formulation and for effective, targeted policy formulation and programme designprogramme design to promote gender equality and the to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. empowerment of women.

A global consensus to expand availability of data on A global consensus to expand availability of data on gender issues and special population groups of gender issues and special population groups of

womenwomen

A follow-up panel on “Remaining challenges in relation to A follow-up panel on “Remaining challenges in relation to statistics and indicators” at the statistics and indicators” at the 49th session of the CSW49th session of the CSW, , while noting the importance of achieving the MDGs, while noting the importance of achieving the MDGs, expressed expressed concern about the lack of gender-concern about the lack of gender-sensitivity in the existing indicatorssensitivity in the existing indicators..

Participants also highlighted Participants also highlighted the need to ensure the need to ensure collection of data disaggregated by other factors collection of data disaggregated by other factors than sexthan sex, in particular age and race, to ensure targeted , in particular age and race, to ensure targeted policies in support of vulnerable groups of women. policies in support of vulnerable groups of women.

The mandateThe mandateIn its resolution 2006/9 of 25 July 2006, the Economic In its resolution 2006/9 of 25 July 2006, the Economic and Social Council requested the Secretary-General to and Social Council requested the Secretary-General to submit to the Commission on the Status of Women, on submit to the Commission on the Status of Women, on an annual basis, a report on the priority theme, an annual basis, a report on the priority theme, including proposals for possible indicatorsincluding proposals for possible indicators, , elaborated in cooperation with the Statistical elaborated in cooperation with the Statistical Commission, to measure progress in the implementation Commission, to measure progress in the implementation with regard to the priority theme. with regard to the priority theme.

At its fifty-first session (27 February to 9 March 2007), At its fifty-first session (27 February to 9 March 2007), the Commission will consider “The elimination of all the Commission will consider “The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child” as its priority theme. child” as its priority theme.

Key messages from an expert group meeting Key messages from an expert group meeting on “The elimination of all forms of on “The elimination of all forms of

discrimination and violence against the girl discrimination and violence against the girl

child”child”

Lack of data disaggregated by sex and age is a Lack of data disaggregated by sex and age is a serious constraint to formulating and serious constraint to formulating and implementing effective, targeted policies and implementing effective, targeted policies and programmes, and to monitoring progress in programmes, and to monitoring progress in eliminating discrimination and violence against eliminating discrimination and violence against the girl child.the girl child.=> => Need for data and indicatorsNeed for data and indicators

EGM: Importance of legislative EGM: Importance of legislative frameworksframeworks

Incorporation of international treaty obligations into Incorporation of international treaty obligations into domestic law, in particular CEDAW and the Convention domestic law, in particular CEDAW and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), is critical to ensure the on the Rights of the Child (CRC), is critical to ensure the full protection of the rights of the girl child as these full protection of the rights of the girl child as these instruments provide the most comprehensive sets of instruments provide the most comprehensive sets of rights of the girl child, as well as explicit obligations for rights of the girl child, as well as explicit obligations for States Parties and other actors to protect these rights. States Parties and other actors to protect these rights. There is also an urgent need to remove national laws There is also an urgent need to remove national laws that are in contradiction to the rights and obligations set that are in contradiction to the rights and obligations set out in the two conventions. out in the two conventions.

=> Question: how is progress measured? => Question: how is progress measured?

EGM: Increasing the visibility of the EGM: Increasing the visibility of the girl childgirl child

The needs of the girl child are often subsumed at policy The needs of the girl child are often subsumed at policy and programmatic levels under the larger categories of and programmatic levels under the larger categories of “women” or “children” that may not adequately respond “women” or “children” that may not adequately respond to the needs of the girl child. to the needs of the girl child.

The particular situation of the girl child is therefore often The particular situation of the girl child is therefore often ““invisible”invisible” in policy and programmatic frameworks. in policy and programmatic frameworks.

EGM: Special groups of girls and especially EGM: Special groups of girls and especially difficult circumstancesdifficult circumstances

Highlighted for presenting the highest risk of discrimination Highlighted for presenting the highest risk of discrimination and violence; yet, found to be the most invisible groups and violence; yet, found to be the most invisible groups in policies and programmes:in policies and programmes:

adolescent girls aged 10-14; adolescent girls aged 10-14; girls in conflict and post-conflict situations; girls in conflict and post-conflict situations; those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS; those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS; girls involved in domestic work, in and outside the home;girls involved in domestic work, in and outside the home;girls married before the official age of consent.girls married before the official age of consent.girl children with disabilitiesgirl children with disabilities

EGM: The importance of eliminating harmful EGM: The importance of eliminating harmful practicespractices

Harmful practices that persist and perpetuate violence Harmful practices that persist and perpetuate violence against girls were identified, including:against girls were identified, including:

early and forced marriageearly and forced marriage son preferenceson preference female feticide and infanticidefemale feticide and infanticide female genital mutilation and cuttingfemale genital mutilation and cutting

EGM: Five strategies to empower EGM: Five strategies to empower girlsgirls

Creating safe and supportive girl-friendly spaces Creating safe and supportive girl-friendly spaces and and environmentsenvironments;;Building girls’ social assets;Building girls’ social assets;Providing education, information and skills-building for Providing education, information and skills-building for girls;girls;Creating channels for girls’ participation, especially Creating channels for girls’ participation, especially vulnerable girls, in decision-making processes; andvulnerable girls, in decision-making processes; andEngaging men and boys as allies in questioning Engaging men and boys as allies in questioning traditional and discriminatory gender socialization.traditional and discriminatory gender socialization.

Progress in implementing these strategies also needs to be Progress in implementing these strategies also needs to be measuredmeasured

Findings on mainstreaming the girl child in Findings on mainstreaming the girl child in PRSPs and MDG reportsPRSPs and MDG reports

A review of PSRPs and national MDG reports A review of PSRPs and national MDG reports found that sex and age- disaggregated data was found that sex and age- disaggregated data was most commonly provided in the area of most commonly provided in the area of educationeducation. .

In the area of In the area of healthhealth, data was not always , data was not always disaggregated by age, in particular in the context disaggregated by age, in particular in the context of poverty, underweight and undernourished of poverty, underweight and undernourished children, child mortality, child diseases, children, child mortality, child diseases, immunization coverage and HIV prevalence. immunization coverage and HIV prevalence.

Findings on mainstreaming the girl child Findings on mainstreaming the girl child in PRSPs and MDG reportsin PRSPs and MDG reports

Although the indicators for the monitoring of the MDGs Although the indicators for the monitoring of the MDGs provide tools for assessing progress on the girl child in provide tools for assessing progress on the girl child in relation to education, HIV/AIDS, and unemployment, relation to education, HIV/AIDS, and unemployment, they only address women and men from 15 years and they only address women and men from 15 years and older. older.

Some Member States undertook collection of sex-Some Member States undertook collection of sex-disaggregated data and research on the situation of the disaggregated data and research on the situation of the girl child, in particular in the areas of education, and girl child, in particular in the areas of education, and violence, including trafficking and sexual exploitation. violence, including trafficking and sexual exploitation.

What next?What next?

Towards the development of a proposal to CSW and Statistical Towards the development of a proposal to CSW and Statistical Commission, the Division for the Advancement of Women proposes Commission, the Division for the Advancement of Women proposes to discuss:to discuss:

Which indicators on discrimination and violence against the girl child Which indicators on discrimination and violence against the girl child are are already collected and reportedalready collected and reported at national and international at national and international levelslevels

Progress, gaps, challenges, and Progress, gaps, challenges, and opportunitiesopportunities in collecting and in collecting and analyzing statistical data on discrimination and violence against the analyzing statistical data on discrimination and violence against the girl childgirl child

Which Which policy areas require further datapolicy areas require further data on the girl child, within and on the girl child, within and beyond social and demographic areas beyond social and demographic areas

Which Which set of indicatorsset of indicators could be recommended to all Member could be recommended to all Member States?States?