Inclusive Data for Inclusive Progress:
ODW at the 69th Commission on the Status of Women
By Open Data Watch
25 March 2025
For the second year in a row, Open Data Watch (ODW) joined the activities of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), strengthening our commitment to advance conversations on how inclusive data can drive change for women and girls.
This year’s theme was the review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a critical opportunity to assess progress and push for stronger commitments related to gender equity. Yet, one challenge remains clear: tracking such progress and advancing the platform is quite difficult without comprehensive, accessible, and inclusive data.
In CSW69, ODW co-hosted and joined events on various topics, such as intersectionality, citizen data, and inclusive data. The conversations underscored the urgent need to improve data systems from an intersectional lens, use inclusive data to close gender gaps, and consider strategies beyond 2030 to ensure sustained progress towards gender equality.
In this blog, we highlight the main takeaways from our participation in these important events.
Operationalizing Intersectionality Across the Data Value Chain
Panelists of our Intersectional Data parallel event. Representatives from Gates Foundation, UNDP, CBM Global, Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Data2X, Center for Global Development, and UN Women.
The CSW NGO Forum parallel event “From Data to Impact: Operationalizing Intersectionality Across the Data Value Chain” was co-hosted by Data2X, the Center for Global Development (CGD), and Open Data Watch. In this panel, we brought together a diverse group of experts, each sharing how their work is supporting efforts to ensure data systems are more inclusive and reflect the realities of diverse communities.
ODW helped set the stage for the conversation, showcasing how intersectionality can be operationalized across the entire data value chain by sharing guidance from our newest advocacy brief . Panelists including Elizabeth Lockwood (CBM Global), Laura Soto (Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and Luísa Franco Machado (UNDP) focused on how they are integrating intersectionality into data systems through their work with disability rights, feminist foreign policy, and LGBTQ rights.
In addition, contributions from colleagues provided other action-oriented perspectives to the event. Papa Seck (UN Women) stressed that intersectional data needs to be built on compassion, while Kelsey Harris (CGD) showcased CGD’s work in this area. Amy Pennington (Gates Foundation) closed the conversation encouraging more cross-sector collaboration to ensure data systems are truly inclusive.
Resources:
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- Dive into our advocacy brief on Integrating Intersectionality in Data Systems
- View the slides from this event below:
Empowering Voices: Leveraging Citizen Data for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
Colleagues part of the Collaborative on Citizen Data, representing UNSD, CBM Global, UN Women, and ODW.
This CSW NGO Forum parallel event was organized by the Collaborative on Citizen Data and focused on the transformative power of citizen data in advancing gender equality. Haoyi Chen (UN Statistics Division) kicked off the discussion with a presentation on the updated Copenhagen Framework, which was endorsed at the 56th session of the United Nations Statistical Commission.
The event panelists Elizabeth Lockwood (CBM Global) and Jessamyn Encarnacion (UN Women) explained how their organizations have integrated citizen data into specific projects. Both Elizabeth and Jessamyn emphasized the unique potential working with citizen data provides, especially in enhancing the representation of various groups within data systems.
The event concluded with an open mic session, where participants shared their individual experiences with citizen data and challenges faced (issues with trust, variety of data collection methods, resource collection, and strategies to reach communities). Attendees also shared their hopes for the Collaborative, highlighting the importance of receiving their support to navigate challenges when working with citizen data, especially in the context of collecting and utilizing gender-sensitive data.
Resources:
- Read the most recent version of the Copenhagen Framework on Citizen Data
- Learn more about the Women Count Initiative led by UN Women
- Discover what’s ahead at the Global Disability Summit happening in April
iCount Coalition: Shaping data futures that centre individuals
Shaida Badiee, ODW’s Managing Director, alongside other colleagues who facilitated the discussions during the iCount event.
At the iCount Coalition CSW NGO Forum event, ODW facilitated a dynamic discussion on the importance of intersectional data and its role in creating a more inclusive future for all. We focused particularly on the importance of integrating intersectionality across the data value chain and how data systems can better reflect diverse experiences. During the event, we launched our newest brief on this topic, aiming to inspire action towards more inclusive data practices from data collection to use.
The event explored other pressing issues: the need for better disability data and the broader push to go beyond gender in promoting inclusion for all, what inclusive data means, the significance of individual-level measures, and gaps in existing gender measurement frameworks.
At the center of this event and the iCount coalition was a shared commitment to building an inclusive development data framework that extends beyond 2030. With members from civil society organizations, national statistics office, think tanks, and academia, the coalition prioritizes the use of inclusive data for equity, justice, and sustainability – all crucial in advancing the rights women and girls.
Resources:
- Read iCount’s commitment part of the Commit to Data initiative
- Learn more about iCount Coalition
Unlocking the Power of Gender Data – Driving Impact Through Strategic Financing
Francesca Perucci, ODW’s Director of Policy and Partnerships, presents the latest trends on gender and development financing.
At the event organized by UN Women and the Government Offices of Sweden, ODW contributed to discussions on financing for gender statistics. Our Director of Policy and Partnerships, Francesca Perucci, presented the latest trends in development finance for gender data in alignment with the First Draft of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) outcome document.
We also underscored the role of non-traditional data sources such as citizen data and remote sensing as well as the importance of promoting interoperable platforms to strengthen data systems so that they are more inclusive, accessible, and impactful especially for women and girls worldwide.
Resources:
- Explore the Gender Data Channel of the Clearinghouse
- View our slides for this event below:
