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Counting Everyone:
Applying an Intersectional Lens to Data Systems in Colombia
By Francesca Perucci and Raquel Santos Fontes
Executive Summary
This case study examines how Colombia has incorporated intersectionality in development data (IDD) as a national priority. By reviewing aspects of the country’s statistical, legal, institutional, and policy systems, the study offers insights for assessing ongoing activities that advance intersectional data nationwide. The study was conducted through desk reviews and interviews with representatives from the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), exploring seven dimensions: enabling environment, national initiatives, evolving sources, data agency, data trust and quality, linkages to policy, and future steps. A subsequent phase will build on the findings from this research to further examine policy monitoring and its far-reaching impacts.
Colombia’s case is particularly interesting as it highlights how legal and policy frameworks have enabled inclusive data practices. The National Development Plan (PND) and the National Statistical Plan (PEN) stand out as frameworks for ensuring that official statistics capture the diverse realities of all Colombian citizens. A key element of the country’s work on IDD is the adoption of an “intersectional and differential” approach, which underlines the importance of capturing data about the complexities of individuals’ identities to guarantee that policies are responsive, inclusive, and effective.
The examples in this study shine a light on DANE’s focus areas, particularly gender, ethnicity, disability, life cycle, and rural communities, with an emphasis on the work with indigenous communities through the Wayúu Multidimensional Register (WMR). The study also presents how Ministries are actively implementing the IDD framework into their respective work areas, ensuring that the production, collection, and use of intersectional data go beyond the national statistical system.
By identifying practical lessons for integrating intersectionality into statistical systems and national policies, this study aims to inspire similar efforts in other national contexts. Colombia’s example illustrates practical ways of how inclusive and disaggregated data, as well as participatory approaches, can inform policy development equitably. While challenges remain in refining methodology, building trust, and promoting broader community participation, the country’s efforts continue to signal positive steps toward much more inclusive data systems.
Enabling Environment for Inclusive Data
Colombia has made noteworthy progress in integrating an intersectional approach to its national policies and data systems. The foundation for these advances can be traced to the National Constitution of 1991, which recognized the country’s multicultural character, and the subsequent legislation, such as the 2011 Victim’s Law, which aimed to address inequalities following the Colombian armed conflict.
From a global perspective, Colombia’s improved performance on international indexes reflects its commitment to strengthening national statistical capacity across sectors. The country scored 67 out of 100 in the 2024 Open Data Inventory (ODIN), a seven-point increase from the previous assessment in 2022, ranking among the top-performing Latin American countries for data coverage and openness. On the 2023 Statistical Performance Index (SPI), Colombia had an overall score of 87 out of 100, showing steady progress from previous results. In terms of gender data, Colombia scored 35 points on the 2023 Gender Data Compass and 67 points on the 2022 SDG Gender Index, holding the 8th place out of 11 South American countries included in the Compass and 7th place out of 20 Latin American countries included in the SDG Gender Index.
Recent government efforts, such as the National Development Plan (PND), were built on legal, historical, and international foundations to embed intersectionality into policy frameworks. Such an approach is also reflected in the two most recent National Statistical Plans (PENs), which define the overall strategy for the production and dissemination of official statistics. Together, these plans seek to ensure that the diverse realities of Colombian citizens are represented in all aspects of policymaking and that data are available to inform inclusive development.
The country’s National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) leads the work on Intersectionality in Development Data (IDD) nationally as its statistical authority and coordinating body of the national statistical system. By prioritizing the integration of an intersectional and differential approach[1] into national development strategies, DANE aims to strengthen the quality, relevance, inclusiveness, and impact of the statistics that it collects and produces.
Since the 2017-2022 PEN, DANE has been proactive in making disaggregated data available by ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socio-economic status, while promoting participatory approaches in data production. Notable initiatives include the Wayúu Multidimensional Register (WMR), designed to provide localized data for indigenous communities, and campaigns like Yo Cuento en este Cuento (I Count in this Count), which helps underserved groups be accurately represented and understand the importance of their participation in data collection processes, such as national surveys and censuses.
While these efforts aim to improve data inclusivity, community engagement, and policy impact, challenges remain in addressing persistent biases, adapting methodologies to local contexts, and ensuring equitable participation across their intersectional and differential efforts.
Intersectional Data Initiatives in Colombia
In Colombia, integrating an intersectional and differential approach to data systems and policies is both a strategic priority and a legal mandate for DANE and other governmental entities. The 2017-2022 National Statistical Plan recognized the lack of disaggregated data and laid the groundwork to address the statistical invisibility of several groups, particularly women, LGBTQI+ populations, ethnic communities, and persons with disabilities. This commitment was complemented by the 2018-2022 National Development Plan, which included dedicated chapters on equity and diversity and championed the importance of disaggregated data for policymaking.
The two most recent national plans, the 2022-2026 PND and 2023-2027 PEN, build on the foundations of the previous strategies to further emphasize the importance of strengthening the quality of statistical information, improving data systems, and building trust in official data among citizens. Complementary legislation, such as the Constitutional Court Sentence T-302 (2017) and the Policy on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Non-Discrimination (2023), reiterate the country’s commitment to integrating the intersectional and differential approach across policies and governance, with a special focus on underrepresented groups.
To operationalize this approach within Colombia’s statistical system and policy environment, DANE has implemented several initiatives:
- Creation of the Differential and Intersectional Approach Group (GEDI): GEDI uses data collection and analysis to examine inequalities based on gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation, and other life factors. GEDI combines both differential and intersectional approaches to understand how overlapping factors shape the lived experiences of Colombian citizens and how identifying and analyzing such factors can inform more responsive, targeted, and equitable policies.
- Publication of the Guide for the Inclusion of a Differential and Intersectional Approach to Data Collection (2020): Outlining key concepts, national and international frameworks, and methodologies for each stage of the data value chain. The guide supports both public and private entities and includes integration steps for the eight distinct phases of statistical production (needs assessment and analysis, design, development, collection, processing, analysis, dissemination, and evaluation).
- Launch of a free online training on the differential and intersectional approach to statistical production (2023): A five-module course to build technical capacity in the Differential and Intersectional approach, covering topics such as ethnicity, disability, gender, life cycle, and migration, and providing cross-cutting guidelines to integrate the intersectional lens across all stages of statistical production.
- Inclusion of focus areas: Since 2018, DANE has identified five priority areas for its work (gender, ethnicity, disability, life cycle, and rural communities). Under each, the entity publishes disaggregated data and analytical reports that identify gaps and disparities across different population groups and intersecting identities.
- Participatory and Community-Based Methods: DANE collaborates with Afro-Colombian and Indigenous groups to address limited wording on national censuses and statistical research, improve enumerator training, and ensure culturally appropriate outreach. The Wayúu Multidimensional Register (WMR) is an example of this participatory method, which involves members from the Waýuu community at various stages of the statistical process.
- Participation in the Inclusive Data Charter (IDC): As one of 13 countries that have adopted the IDC, Colombia takes responsibility to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in data collection and improve data quality, availability, and disaggregation by 2030. In their action plan, DANE commits to strengthening statistical capacity by integrating questions that allow for disaggregation aligned with international standards, providing expertise to integrate disaggregation into administrative records, and creating publications with diverse data sources to inform decision-making.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate Colombia’s growing commitment to transforming intersectional principles into concrete statistical practices. The intersectional and differential focus underlines how inclusive and disaggregated data are essential to designing effective and equitable policies.
Evolving Sources of Intersectional Data
Colombia’s 1993, 2005, and 2018 national censuses demonstrate a gradual evolution toward recognizing the country’s ethnic diversity, yet the censuses still fall short of fully capturing other intersecting dimensions, such as gender and sexual orientation. The 1993 census introduced ethnic self-identification for indigenous peoples, which was expanded in the 2005 census to include Afro-descendant populations. By 2018, in consultation with representatives from ethnic communities, DANE was able to refine questions and categories, ensuring a more accurate reflection of cultural, economic, and social contexts. Despite progress, the 2018 census still lacked a comprehensive intersectional lens that fully captured overlapping social inequities linked to ethnicity, gender, and other dimensions of identity.
It is important to note that the limited scope of national censuses within the country does not mean that intersectional data collection is still absent. Since 2021, DANE has strived to integrate data on sexual orientation and gender identity into national statistics through the Great Integrated Household Survey (GEIH). As a result, the survey showcased that at least half a million people in Colombia identify as LGBTQI+. Aiming to increase the visibility and accuracy of this and future surveys, DANE partnered with social organizations to launch the Voluntary Registry for the Visibility of Sexual and Gender Diversity in 2022.
Another notable example related to sources of inclusive data comes from the Wayúu Multidimensional Register, led by DANE and developed in response to the Constitutional Court Sentence T-302 (2017), which recognized violations of fundamental rights of children and adolescents of the Wayúu communities due to environmental challenges, historical biases, and ineffective policies. As a result of the Sentence, the state was ordered to implement coordinated, culturally sensitive, and participatory measures to guarantee the rights of these communities.
The WMR collects geographically disaggregated and culturally relevant data on the Wayúu, one of Colombia’s largest Indigenous groups. The data collection and survey design are carried out considering the unique social and territorial arrangements of these communities. By engaging with Wayúu authorities to design and implement the Register, DANE will be able to identify overlapping issues on rural exclusion, cross-border mobility, and access to healthcare and education that could otherwise have been overlooked if such a participatory approach were not implemented (see Annex I for more details).
These evolving examples show an effort in Colombia’s data ecosystem over the last 20 years that has increasingly prioritized inclusivity and community engagement in official statistics. The focus areas of DANE’s intersectional and differential approach have played an important role in such advances. Under each, DANE uses disaggregated data to conduct studies and publish documents that guide national policies and programmatic actions. Table 1 below presents some examples of recent publications.
Table 1: DANE’s Publications by Type of Disaggregated Data
| Focus Area | Publications |
| Gender | Geo-viewer of Vulnerability of Adolescent Pregnancy |
| Gender Gaps in Colombia | |
| Ethnicity | Unmet Basic Needs by Ethnic Self-Recognition |
| COVID-19 Death Bulletin with data for Afro-Colombians | |
| Disability | Overview of Disability in Colombia |
| Data on Persons with Disabilities during COVID | |
| Life Cycle | Diagnosis of the Guarantee of Human Rights for Adolescents and Youth |
| Post-census Study on Fertility in Childhood and Adolescence | |
| Rural Communities | Labor Market for Rural Population |
| Data on Rural Women |
Through these initiatives, Colombia demonstrates a steady shift from traditional, top-down data collection toward a participatory and inclusive model. By engaging communities and focusing on disaggregation, DANE is establishing the foundation for data systems that better capture the country’s social diversity and reinforce public trust in national statistics.
Fostering Ownership through People’s Agency in Data
Colombia’s intersectional data initiatives demonstrate meaningful progress toward strengthening data agency, that is, ensuring individuals and communities actively participate in and influence processes across the data value chain. As a result of the evolution of national censuses and laws, the 2023-2027 National Statistical Plan showcased that 86 percent of the intersectional and differential strategies established by the previous PEN had been achieved, underscoring Colombia’s sustained institutional commitment to inclusion.
The Wayúu Multidimensional Register is also a practical example of how Colombia is fostering ownership and participation. Under DANE’s focus area on ethnicity, the WMR exemplifies a model of data agency from a hands-on approach in which community members help shape data design, collection, and analysis processes as well as oversee survey implementation.
According to interviews with DANE, the community engagement process for the Register involved 21 assemblies, each engaging between 100 and 200 participants to refine concepts and the social cartography of the Register. These consultations led to a culturally relevant adaptation, aligning all processes with the Wayúu’s territorial organization and unique relation to the land. Currently, local enumerators and researchers from the community are leading the data collection phase, reinforcing trust and local ownership.
DANE’s work, especially with the Wayúu populations, is now informing a broader institutional strategy to scale up efforts to other groups, such as fishing communities. As shared by its representatives, an internal group at the entity is now creating a guide on lessons learned to document challenges, achievements, and best practices from the WMR. This resource will guide future community-led statistical operations for the Waýuu and several other communities.
Through these practices, Colombia is institutionalizing a model of participatory data governance, where diverse groups are not merely data subjects but active participants. This approach strengthens the legitimacy, quality, and inclusiveness of national statistics while ensuring that data are used to foster community ownership and agency.
Promoting Trust, Quality, and Protection in Data
Colombia’s commitment to high-quality and ethical data practices is anchored in a robust legal and institutional framework. The National Code of Good Statistical Practices is a technical and regulatory document that defines fundamental principles to enhance the national statistical system. It outlines 13 guiding principles that reinforce DANE’s commitment to transparency, impartiality, data privacy, quality, coordination among entities, and allocation of resources. Several complementary laws further ensure the quality, protection, and confidentiality of data produced, such as the National Statistical Law (Law 2335 of 2023), the Statutory Law on Information (Law 1266 of 2018), and the Right to Information Law (Law 57 of 1985, amended). Together, these instruments establish standards for data confidentiality, accuracy, and ethical use.
In addition to legal safeguards, DANE has taken concrete steps to strengthen technical standards for data management. In 2023, the entity published a guide to anonymizing structured data that provides a comprehensive framework for protecting individual privacy while maintaining the analytical value of microdata and data dissemination standards. The guide includes case studies from other countries as well as tools and techniques DANE uses across different stages of the anonymization process.
These measures underscore Colombia’s effort to balance data openness with the responsible use of information. By prioritizing transparency and privacy protection, DANE helps build public trust in official statistics while enabling wider, ethical access to data and policies derived from it.
Integrating Intersectional Data into Policy
Current policies guiding the intersectional development data work in Colombia are designed to consider multiple social factors. While DANE plays a central role in leading the production and coordination of statistical data in response to policy priorities, other national ministries have taken a proactive role in working collaboratively to implement the differential and intersectional approach into their sectoral policies and programs.
A milestone was the establishment of the Ministry for Equality and Equity in 2023, created to lead intersectoral programs to address economic, political, and social inequalities nationwide. Its mandate is rooted in the principle that effective public policies must be informed by disaggregated data and developed through participatory engagement to address overlapping issues faced by Colombian citizens fully.
In its 2023-2024 Inform, the Ministry for Equality presented its proposals to the Colombian Congress to lead the construction of public policies to close inequality and inequity gaps derived from strategic areas of the PND 2022-2026: disability, LGBTQI+, racial equity, nutrition, and youth. While each proposal includes different activities, they all share the premise that policies should be guided by data collection and analysis. Such policies are also founded with a focus on participatory approaches, seeking to engage the population across all phases of data collection, local engagement, and policy implementation. Some examples of programs derived from these strategic areas include Economic Autonomy for Women, National Care, and Youth in Peace.
The Ministry of Foreign Policy adopted a feminist foreign policy in 2023, which focuses on promoting women’s active involvement in decision-making through an “intersectional, participatory, and pacifist” lens. The Ministry of Culture has outlined a Gender Mainstreaming Plan on Cultures, Arts, and Knowledge to integrate gender equity into its policies, programs, and projects, emphasizing the importance of a gender-relevant participatory approach to tackling inequality in both rural and urban areas.
The Ministry of Justice and Law published a memorandum in 2023 with an evaluation of variables related to extrajudicial conciliation using data collected by DANE and updated the information collection system to capture the availability of disaggregated data aligned with the intersectional and differential approach. Similarly, the Ministry of Agriculture created the Agricultural Statistical Plan in 2022 with a thematic focus on intersectional approaches to agricultural data collection and statistics. The institution has also published training plans for public servants on gender and the intersectional and differential approach, aiming to strengthen public management.
These efforts reflect a growing recognition that intersectional data are not only a statistical priority but also a foundation for equitable policy design. By aligning ministries and government institutions with shared data standards and participatory principles, Colombia is building a more integrated system that links data production directly to social, cultural, and economic outcomes.
Historical Challenges and Next Steps
While significant progress in advancing intersectional and inclusive data systems has been achieved over the last decades, challenges remain. In its 2022 Lessons Learned report, DANE acknowledged that historical biases continue to influence statistical practices, which may unintentionally exclude or misrepresent certain groups, causing the perpetuation of inequalities. To address these biases and guide their future work, the institution is committed to actively connecting with communities and incorporating their lived experiences in all stages of data collection and analysis.
Looking ahead, Colombia’s work on intersectional data will continue to be anchored by the legal and institutional frameworks discussed in this study, especially through the implementation of the 2022-2026 PND, 2023-2027 PEN, and continued efforts from the national ministries. These frameworks and entities are key as they continue to emphasize the importance of a differential and intersectional approach, particularly as it concerns the work with persons with disability, women, youth, and ethnic communities.
While challenges persist in terms of biases, limited resources for localized data collection, need for methodological innovation, and ensuring participation of underrepresented groups, Colombia’s experience stands out as a model for how institutional commitment and participatory practices can translate intersectionality from principle into practice.
By keeping inclusion, transparency, and community collaboration at the center, the country is laying out the groundwork for a data and statistical system that goes beyond measuring inequalities but actively contributes to addressing them. Through its intersectional and differential approach, Colombia sets an example of how data can be fully used as a tool for inclusion, equity, and development for all.
End Notes
[1] DANE’s differential approach is a method of analysis that gathers and shares information about population groups with specific characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, disability, economic status), helping guide decision-making to fulfill the needs of diverse groups. The intersectional approach analyzes the overlapping characteristics of an individual to better understand how they create unique experiences of inequality within social, economic, cultural, and historical contexts.
[2] Land ownership in these communities is passed down through the maternal line. Nonetheless residents of the communities can live there without having territorial rights, in light of a union with people of the lineage.
For questions about this case study or the Intersectionality in Development Data Work led by Open Data Watch, contact us at: info@opendatawatch.com
Cover photo credit: Wilmerfotografia | Shutterstock.com
Annex I – Data and Statistics for Indigenous Communities in Colombia: Highlights from the Multidimensional Wayúu Register (Produced by DANE, 2024)
Committing to intersectionality seems now as one of the cornerstones for National Statistical Offices, not only given the ever-growing user needs, but also considering the technological and methodological developments in the last few years. Committing to the mainstreaming of an intersectional approach is then a commitment towards leaving no one behind.
In the case of Colombia, after developing the Guidelines for Mainstreaming the Differential and Intersectional approach (2021) which spurred substantial innovations in terms of gender mainstreaming, the efforts are now being centered in another dimension: race and ethnicity.
This case-study will focus on a recent experience of Colombia’s National Statistical Office, DANE, by its acronym in Spanish, regarding the Wayúu Multidimensional Register (WMR), a census-type statistical operation being carried out in the Guajira Department, in the northern region of Colombia, which concentrates most of the Wayúu indigenous community.
Context
The Wayúu are the largest indigenous group in Colombia, residing in the semi-desert regions of Guajira and in Venezuela, being their way of life shaped by scarce rainfall, and their primary economic activities include goat herding, fishing, salt extraction, and handicraft production. They also cultivate crops like corn, beans, and cassava in family gardens, with wage labor playing a significant role in their economy.
Socially, the Wayúu are organized into clans based on maternal lineage, with members sharing a common ancestor and they have shown resilience in maintaining their cultural autonomy while participating in national and regional political, economic, and social processes.
According to the 2018 Colombian Census, the Wayúu make up about 20.2% of the country’s indigenous population, totaling 380,460 people. Despite their significant numbers, the Wayúu continue to face deep-rooted challenges, including systemic marginalization and discrimination. These issues are further exacerbated by environmental factors, such as extreme weather and limited natural resources, which put additional pressure on their survival. Nevertheless, the Wayúu have managed to preserve their cultural identity and economic practices, which are closely linked to their semi-nomadic lifestyle. Over the years, the Wayúu community has faced significant challenges in terms of access to basic public services, including water, sanitation, health care, and food security, which are the consequences of both historical and environmental factors.
Wayúu Multidimensional Register (WMR)
The Wayúu Multidimensional Registry (WMR) is a statistical operation developed by DANE in Colombia, aimed at improving the understanding of the living conditions of the Wayúu people in La Guajira, gathering detailed information on various aspects of Wayúu life, including access to basic services, health, mortality, and overall living conditions.
The development of the Registry was established as a follow-up action to the Sentence T-302 of Colombia’s Constitutional Court, under which DANE was mandated to provide a solid and timely information base of the Wayúu Community to strengthen the public policies and decision-making processes. Moreover, while information on the Wayúu community was available from different sources (census, household surveys or administrative records), there were two outstanding issues which required to be addressed: geographical divisions and measuring what matters- from the Wayúu perspective.
The Wayúu community has specific forms of appropriation of the territory, that are directly associated with their social and political organization. Thus, its members occupy their land by through the establishment of communities or rancherías (i.e., groups of dwellings and other buildings necessary for the daily life of the families), that embody the Wayúu’s ancestral relationship with their environment and their collective identity. These traditional settlements do not overlap with the political-administrative divisions in Colombia.
A key feature is that the size and composition of rancherías vary significantly, reflecting the heterogeneity of Wayúu society. Thus, while the smallest one can be formed by around 10 individuals, the largest one can host over 100 people. Furthermore, while most of the residents of a ranchería usually belong to the lineage that owns the territory[2], there is no clear hierarchical structure between the communities, so each settlement operates autonomously, with decisions often made collectively or guided by local leaders, such as elders or palabreros (traditional mediators).
On this basis, the WMR collects geographically disaggregated information here the Wayúu population resides in the rancherías, identifying the community or where they are located. Incorporating this variable of housing location required the elaboration of a pre-framework at this level of disaggregation, taking advantage of institutional sources that provided information on the presence, denomination and location of these communities, as well as consulting the Wayúu authorities about this pre-existent information.
Additionally, for the successful development of the WMR, it was essential to include within the questionnaire elements associated with the cosmovision framework of the community. As an example, one of the organizational features of the community are the E’irukuu or clans, a fundamental concept in Wayúu social organization. This system is organized by the descendance of individuals in groups categorized by animal totems.
Every Wayúu individual is part of one of the 25 existing groups, according to their mother belonging, which also influences territorial rights, family obligations, and conflict resolution norms. Thus, one of the innovations adopted in the WMR is the inclusion of questions according to the category of the individual within their respective role within the E’irukuu, which required a strong articulation with the authorities, leaders and to work with them in the review of each of the questions included in the WMR.
Participation and engagement with the community have been an essential element in all phases of the WMR. This began with the organization of local cartographic workshops with them which contributed to the establishment of the updated Geographical framework. Moreover, adapting the questionnaire to reflect Wayúu’s reality requires us to organize more than 20 assembly meetings with the communities, allowing us to review and validate each question, while also allowing us to map the demand for more information.
Thus, and to continue this collaborative effort, a Technical Committee was established to adopt and harmonize the suggestions made by Wayúu authorities, including Wayúu delegates with professional qualifications, relevant work experience, and proficiency in digital tools, who contributed to refining and validating the final version of the data collection instrument.
Current Status: Challenges and Recent Developments
Currently, the WMR is in its collection phase, with results expected to be published next year. In this stage, DANE, alongside the communities, is constantly organizing different events and communication campaigns to strengthen the collection process. This articulation and joint effort would be the pinnacle upon which the communication and dissemination campaign will be organized.
Moreover, in line with the need to consolidate the information of the Wayúu community, the information collected in the WMR would be incorporated into the Wayúu Information System (WIS), a key tool designed to consolidate and streamline the consultation of data related to the Wayúu people from all the entities involved in the Sentence T-302/2017.
This integration will enable the cross-referencing of WMR data with other existing information sources, allowing government institutions and stakeholders to access a comprehensive set of data on the Wayúu population. The system will not only improve the availability and usefulness of this information but also support better-informed decision-making and policy development that meets the needs of the Wayúu community.
However, the main and ongoing challenge associated with this endeavor has been understanding and incorporating the particularities of the Wayúu community into the design of the WMR. Given that their organizational structure does not follow western standards of a representative democracy, or follow a unified, monolithic approach to decision making, it is required that decisions are made collectively within the community, with respect to cultural norms and ancestral customs, implying the necessity of working in a decentralized manner, enabling the creation of several open-ended participation scenarios with a flexible timeline allowing DANE to identify the different insights and information needs.
The experiences gathered by DANE within this process is not only valuable for the specific implementation of the WMR, but it will also provide substantial contributions in the way that the NSO works with the ethnic and indigenous communities in Colombia. Thus, one of the key outcomes expected from this process will be the establishment of a protocol for working with ethnic and indigenous communities, guaranteeing that their unique needs, governance structures, and cultural aspects are fully incorporated into future statistical processes.
This will set a crucial precedent for inclusive data collection, ensuring that all communities in Colombia are represented and that their needs are properly addressed, leading to more accurate data and better-informed policies.
Annex II – Additional Resources about Colombia’s Intersectional Data
A number of global and regional organizations have documented and supported Colombia’s progress in integrating intersectionality into its data systems. The following materials provide additional context and examples of Colombia’s efforts to promote inclusive, disaggregated and participatory data:
- UN Women (2021) highlights Colombia as an example of how to better leverage existing household survey data to generate gender-disaggregated statistics in the Counted & Visible Toolkit to Better Utilize Existing Data from Household Surveys to Generate Disaggregated Gender Statistics.
- Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (2021) showcases Colombia’s work on embedding values of equity and inclusion into national data systems in the Data Values Project White Paper – Reimagining Data and Power: A roadmap for putting values at the heart of data
- UN Women (2022) provides an overview of ongoing initiatives to strengthen gender and intersectional data in Colombia makes inroads on increasing data on intersecting inequalities
- Inclusive Data Charter, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, and DANE (n.d.) outlines DANE’s commitments under the Inclusive Data Charter to improve data quality, availability, and disaggregation by 2030 in the data story Tackling inequality in Colombia through an intersectional approach to data.
