Research project AG/DD/12 (Research action AG)
Public institution benefiting from the support measure: Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
An Equal Opportunity Policy can only be based on accurate and relevant data. Gender statistics therefore play a crucial role in combating gender prejudices, designing the proper policy and evaluating progress towards a greater equal opportunity between genders. This means that such statistical production should be a task of the public authority: collecting the data, building indicators, elaborating the underlying concepts and methods and drawing useful conclusions for policy makers.
The present project aims at producing and promoting such gender statistics.
This will be done by the three following steps:
- the Women's Studies resource centre will collect and present gender statistics (past and present statistical series) in tables and graphics, crossing the gender with other relevant variables;
- these statistics will be extensively commented for a better comprehension of the underlying trends;
- existing federal databases will also be commented in the light of their capacity to clarify gender specificities. Propositions will be submitted to integrate the gender dimension further in federal statistics via a continuous dialogue with the producers of such data. Here, the Ministry of Labour and Employment will act as a go-between.
As a first step, data will be collected on the basis of existing administrative databases in the federal departments.
Thereafter, and depending on the needs, other resources will be investigated such as for example the Panel Study of Belgian Households (UIA-ULg) and the Survey on workforce from the National Institute for Statistics. These data sources will be used as a means of assessing the relevance of administrative database in terms of gender specificities.
The following topics will be treated:
- population and demography;
- participation in decision-making and leading positions;
- taxation system;
- work and income.
For each topic, the Resource centre will answer the following questions:
- What kind of data are relevant for the equal opportunity policy?
- Are these data available?
Implementation:
The selected database will be analyzed in view of the publication of a user guide reflecting the gender difference for each selected topic. The Resource centre will not produce the data itself, but will ensure its availability for the public.
In order to valorise further this research, a symposium took place on the 6th of may 2002, jointly organised by the OSTC and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Statistiques ventilées selon le sexe: Situation et recommandations: résumé
Bruxelles : Politique scientifique fédérale, 2003 (SP1143)
[To download]
Genderstatistieken: Stand van zaken en aanbevelingen : samenvatting
Brussel : Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid, 2003 (SP1144)
[To download]
