Technical Brief 4: Connecting Gender Data to Action

This brief underscores the critical need to move beyond gender data collection toward strategic, context-driven efforts that ensure data leads to meaningful gender equality outcomes. While global initiatives have improved awareness of gender data gaps, most investments still prioritize data generation over its uptake and impact. The brief outlines barriers such as limited data fluency among decision-makers, lack of political will, and potential risks to marginalized groups. Using examples from the Global South AI4COVID program, it illustrates how locally grounded strategies—like developing a clear Theory of Change, fostering early and ongoing engagement with stakeholders, and tailoring data communications to users’ needs—can bridge the gap between evidence and action. It also emphasizes the value of combining descriptive and explanatory data, building institutional partnerships, and maintaining flexibility in response to evolving political contexts to ensure that gender data catalyzes equitable, transformative change.

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