“By enhancing the visibility and availability of sex-disaggregated data as part of the Commit to Grow Equality initiative, the new gender domain in FAOSTAT is a crucial step towards empowering stakeholders to pinpoint disparities and develop comprehensive evidence-based, gender-inclusive policies within agrifood systems.”Máximo Torero
Chief Economist, FAO (high-level CGE event, New York, 24 September 2024)
[A5.1] FAO will create and launch a FAOSTAT gender domain by 2026.
As of early 2025, a preliminary list of indicators for a dedicated gender domain in FAOSTAT has been developed.
The database will be incorporated into FAOSTAT during the course of 2025. The new domain will be launched in 2026 for the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Persistent gender data gaps undermine the ability to develop evidence-based policies that address the unique challenges faced by women in agrifood systems. FAO’s 2023 report, The status of women in agrifood systems, included a call to action to collect more gender- and sex-disaggregated data related to agrifood systems that can be used to track progress over time.
Under the CGE initiative, FAO has committed to creating a new domain in its flagship Corporate Database for Substantive Statistical Data (FAOSTAT) focused on gender equality and women’s inclusion in agrifood systems, in time for launch during the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Establishing a new gender domain within FAOSTAT will facilitate access to all available sex-disaggregated data relevant for agrifood systems in one place, provide information about gendered data (e.g. data on policies regarding women’s land access in line with SDG Indicator 5.a.2), and make clear where significant data gaps remain. These actions will in turn enhance global understanding of gender dynamics within agrifood systems.
Required citation:
FAO. 2025. Commit to Grow Equality: investing in the future of women in agrifood systems – Progress report 2025. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cd4123en
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