There are notable improvements in the adoption of human rights instruments and policies on ending Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) both at the continental and regional levels by the Member States. However, there is a lot to be done to effectively translate laws and policies into action and tangible benefits. Despite the importance of access to and use of VAWG data to inform policies and programmes, not more than 5% of African countries, are able to generate and use vital statistics from their civil registration systems or routine administrative records related to Violence Against Women and Girls and Harmful Practices.

The African Union, in the framework of the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme, and in collaboration with various partners, are undertaking a regional validation workshop in Nairobi, Kenya from 3rd - 5th of October, 2022 to discuss and validate the Harmonized and Standardized Data Collection Toolkit on Violence Against Women and Girls and harmful practices. The overall objective of the workshop is to provide the stakeholders the opportunity to discuss, assess and evaluate the content and structure of the data collection toolkit, whilst also giving them the chance to share their regional and national experience and knowledge to improve the quality of the Toolkit.

The Data Collection Toolkit is informed by the extensive capacity needs assessment surveys, that have explored methodologies, approaches, and publicly available data collection tools for capturing data on VAWG, and harmful practices. The needs assessment surveys revealed the necessity of developing a harmonized and standardized data collection toolkit to guide users on indicators and methodologies for collecting data on VAWG, and harmful practices. The toolkit is expected to strengthen the capacity of regional partners to ensure that relevant harmonized and standardized data collection tools are produced and utilised to inform policy, evidence-based decision-making, and advocacy.

Ms. Prudence Ngwenya, the Acting Director, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, African Union Commission, reiterated that “in order to address the challenges related to collection, generation and utilization of data, it is critical we consider the following key takeaways; putting in place effective coordination mechanisms, ensuring relevant data is being generated, collected and utilized, the inclusiveness of the process by leaving no one behind, having the right human and financial resources and ensuring collective ownership of the process related to data collection, generation and utilization of data."

Ms. Odette Kabaya, the Regional Gender Advisor and Team Leader -GEWE - UNDP RSCA, noted that “the value addition of the Toolkit is to bring together relevant approaches, methodologies and indicators in One-Stop-Centre, to ease their access and utilization. It also generates comparable data on VAWG, harmful practices and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights (SRH&RR) through putting in place harmonized and standardized data collection. The toolkit also comprehensively addresses a range of diverse indicators for example social norms, care work, masculinity, online violence, migration, people with disabilities, among others.”

Dr. Caroline Kabiru a Senior Researcher and Representative of the APHRC consortium, highlighted that “this workshop is a culmination of several months of extensive work and the meeting is very important in providing quality assurance to the final content of the toolkit.”

The African Union Commission’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate are working in partnership with UNDP and a consortium bringing together the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), the Eastern Africa National Networks of AIDS and Health Service Organizations (EANNASO), and the Population Council Kenya, The meeting has attracted more than 30 delegates from relevant key stakeholders including from the AUC Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Member States, National Ministries of Gender and Statistics Offices, Regional and National Civil Society Organizations and UN Agencies.

For further media inquiries, please contact:

Ms. Priscilla Mawuena Adjeidu, Youth Volunteer, AUC Youth Division: AdjeiduP@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
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