India Pushes for Stronger Gender Data to Power Inclusive Policy at National Statistics Conference

Opening the conference, Shri Suresh Goyal, Director General, NCAER, underscored that robust gender statistics are no longer optional but essential for inclusive governance.

India’s statistical and policy community has called for a step change in how gender data is collected, analysed and used, as a two-day national conference on “Enhancing Gender Statistics” concluded in New Delhi on 15–16 January 2026.

Organised jointly by the Social Statistics Division of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), the conference brought together senior policymakers, statisticians, economists and development experts to strengthen the foundations of gender-responsive, evidence-based policymaking.

Gender Data as a Policy Imperative

Opening the conference, Shri Suresh Goyal, Director General, NCAER, underscored that robust gender statistics are no longer optional but essential for inclusive governance. He emphasised that high-quality data enables governments to design policies that reflect the lived realities of women and girls.

Setting the analytical context, Dr Sonalde Desai, Professor and Centre Director, NDIC, NCAER, highlighted the need for gender-sensitive data systems that move beyond headline indicators to capture inequality, agency and access across social and economic domains.

Delivering the inaugural address, Dr Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI, stressed that gender-disaggregated data is central to the design, monitoring and evaluation of public programmes.

“From flagship welfare schemes to labour market reforms, gender statistics shape how effectively policies reach their intended beneficiaries,” he said, drawing on examples from major government initiatives.

Tackling Methodological Gaps and Biases

The primary objective of the conference was to examine methodological challenges in collecting data from women and about women, with a focus on improving data quality, relevance and policy usability.

Eminent speakers and panelists included senior experts from MoSPI, NCAER, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), World Bank, ILO, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IGIDR, Ashoka University, Azim Premji University, O.P. Jindal Global University, United Nations agencies, and other leading institutions.

Key themes explored included:

• Measuring gender inequality in economic empowerment and labour markets

• Addressing data gaps and biases that obscure women’s unpaid work, informal employment and care responsibilities

• Mainstreaming gender into survey design and statistical methodologies

• Aligning national gender statistics with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Integrating gender perspectives into emerging policy priorities

The programme featured technical presentations on the evolution of India’s statistical system, followed by focused discussions on gender indicators under the SDGs and a high-level panel on gender and emerging policy challenges.

Commitment to Systemic Reform

In his valedictory remarks, Shri N. K. Santoshi, Director General (Central Statistics), MoSPI, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening gender-responsive statistical systems.

He emphasised continued investment in methodological refinement, institutional collaboration and improved data granularity, ensuring that gender statistics meaningfully inform policy design and evaluation.

Why It Matters

As India advances its development and equality goals, the conference reinforced a critical message: what is not measured cannot be effectively addressed. Better gender statistics are foundational to closing gaps in education, health, employment, safety and economic opportunity.

The conference concluded with a strong consensus that inclusive, high-quality and methodologically sound gender data is indispensable for delivering equitable development outcomes—and that sustained collaboration between government, academia and international partners will be key to achieving this goal.