UN Women Africa Data and Statistics annual reports for 2024 with Data Use Cases

The Women Count 2024 Regional Annexes for East and Southern Africa (ESA) and West and Central Africa (WCA) document major progress in strengthening the production, accessibility and use of gender statistics to inform policy, programming and accountability. Across both regions, persistent gender data gaps remain—particularly on unpaid care work, violence against women (VAW), women’s economic empowerment, governance, climate change and humanitarian settings—alongside weak administrative data systems and limited data use. Phase II of Women Count responds through three pillars: creating enabling environments, increasing data production, and improving data use. In WCA, Women Count supported gender statistics system assessments in 13 countries, integrated gender into Nigeria’s National Statistical Development Strategy, mobilized new financing from AFD, and strengthened capacities of over 500 data users and producers. Major data production achievements include Nigeria’s time use survey, Senegal’s first ever national VAW survey, preparatory work for Africa’s first Gender and Environment Survey, and crisis focused rapid gender assessments. Stronger communications capacity and user–producer dialogues significantly increased data visibility and uptake. In ESA, Women Count advanced regional and continental public goods, including a humanitarian gender data toolkit, toolkits on administrative data quality and data linking, and guidance on discrimination and inequalities. National results include improved GBV administrative data systems, testing of femicide statistics frameworks, expanded use of time use data for care policies, and strengthened gender statistics strategies. Across both regions, data use cases demonstrate tangible impact: gender data have informed laws, national policies, budgeting processes, social protection programmes, GBV response systems and public advocacy. Overall, the reports show that sustained investment in high quality gender data—combined with institutional commitment, partnerships and strategic communication—drives concrete progress toward gender equality.