GENDER DATA FUTURES

A Handbook on Transformative Data Governance

Suggested Citation:

Bonnita, N., Iyer, N., and Ayazika, P. (2025).

Gender data futures: A handbook on transformative data governance.

Authors:

Nyamwire Bonnita, Neema Iyer, Ayazika Phillip

Design and Illustrations by:

Lukwago Wilson and Hasahya Timothy

Acknowledgement

This handbook was developed through participatory engagements with women policy makers, technocrats, civil society and private sector across Africa, specifically Uganda, Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire. It consolidates their insights and learnings into global practices to equip African governments and partners with practical guidance to embed gender transformative principles into data governance frameworks. The development process was coordinated by Pollicy in collaboration and with support from GIZ-AU Addis Ababa office.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Varaidzo Magodo-Matimba, Rachel Magege, Cate Kamatu, Bobina Zulfa, Angela Efia Dzidzornu, Bonaventure Saturday for their unwavering support through the project design and during the consultative meetings with various stakeholders. We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to all stakeholders who participated in the country consultations in Zambia, Cote d’Ivoire and Uganda and the validation meeting in Namibia, including representatives from different government agencies, academia and civil society organizations. Special thanks go to our country partners; Bulanda Nkhowani in Zambia, Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) in Uganda, and DigiFemmes in Cote d’Ivoire for their invaluable support in mobilizing and coordinating the consultative meetings. Our heartfelt thanks go to the reviewers of this handbook; the team at i4Policy, for their thoughtful feedback and guidance that helped to refine and shape this handbook into a stronger and more practical resource.

Executive Summary

Data is an essential asset for economic policy making and service delivery. Yet gender biases in data governance systems perpetuate inequality and exclusion. A gender,transformative approach confronts root causes, harmful norms, power imbalances, and structural barriers ensuring women, girls and gender diverse people benefit from the data ecosystem. This handbook offers eight strategic goals and specific actions to strengthen gender integration across the data governance cycle, aligned with the AU Agenda 2063, the AU data policy framework, the Maputo protocol and other continental gender mandates.

Chapter 1:

Introduction

Integration of gender in government programs and processes remains foundational for equitable development. Data is a valuable asset to all stakeholders including the government, private sector, and civil society. This data, whether generated by businesses, governments, or individuals, fuels innovation, enhances decision-making, and accelerates the digital transformation of economies and societies.1 African governments generate vast amounts of data through internal administration, service delivery, and engagement with other stakeholders. Data gathered from these diversified sources, if well harnessed, could be used in the attainment of government goals and objectives as well as improve overall service delivery.2

Within this context, data governance frameworks which shape how data is collected, processed, stored, shared and used, play a pivotal role in managing data at a local, national and regional level. Effective data governance not only establishes and enforces regulations to protect individual rights but also actively addresses issues of social inequality and marginalization.3 Additionally, data governance exists to emphasize interoperability, standardization, and responsible development of data-related technologies as well as to support the harnessing of the potential of data as a driver of growth.4 For example, think of data governance like organizing an international airport. Standardized passports, security protocols, and air traffic rules make it possible for planes from all over the world to land and take off smoothly and safely. Similarly, data governance sets shared rules and systems so that data from different sources can be transported, connected seamlessly, and fuel innovation and growth.

Across the African continent, governments and regional bodies have made deliberate efforts to integrate gender into key policy areas such as health, agriculture, poverty reduction, education, and migration, among others.5 Examples of these deliberate efforts include Rwanda’s Gender Monitoring Office to coordinate and advance approaches such as gender-responsive budgeting across sectors,6 South Africa’s Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities that collaborates with other ministries to mainstream gender and harmonize data on issues such as gender-based violence.7 Uganda’s institutionalization of gender equity by certifying budgets, monitoring national gender policies, and building integrated data systems through the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development, as well as the Equal Opportunities Commission, is another example.8 Similar multi-sectoral strategies are needed in data governance to ensure that data practices reflect the gender realities of African women and girls and promote inclusion. These gender integration efforts should extend across data systems, practices and institutions to make them inclusive, equitable and actively committed to eliminating any forms of discrimination and injustices.

The African Union Data Policy Framework provides a foundational reference point for integrating inclusivity into data governance. The framework emphasizes the integration of gender in data governance based on the inclusivity of all citizens in the data ecosystem.9 However, efforts should go beyond just inclusivity, which is simply adding women and men, girls and boys to existing structures, to focusing on underlying gender norms, and challenging power inequities between people of different genders.10 Given the growing adoption of data-driven initiatives across Africa, there is an urgent need for governments to recognize the value of embedding gender perspectives into these frameworks. This is particularly important in the light of the continent’s increasing recognition of gender equality as a strong pillar for digital transformation.

African governments and regional bodies are advancing gender equality and digital transformation simultaneously through the development and implementation of policies and frameworks. However, these frameworks do not adequately address the ways in which data governance practices can reinforce inequality. For instance, the Uganda Data Protection Act 2019 contains no other gender- specific provisions beyond clauses related to children.11 Zambia’s Data Protection Act 2021, references vulnerable persons without defining them12 and Cote d’Ivoire’s Act 2013 is silent on gender considerations altogether. In this context, integrating intersectional gender considerations into data governance is essential to shaping equitable and inclusive data governance in Africa. By consolidating emerging evidence and documenting effective approaches to gender integration in data governance, this handbook seeks to equip African governments with the tools and insights needed to embed gender transformative approaches within their data policies and systems. Advancing these approaches is critical for achieving inclusive data governance and promoting gender equality across the continent.

The Rationale and Purpose of the Handbook

This Handbook provides specific actions for embedding gender into data governance systems across the continent. It seeks to go beyond sex-disaggregated data by addressing the deeper structural and systemic issues that shape how data is collected, used, governed and who benefits from it. Additionally, the handbook offers practical guidance to policymakers and institutions to identify and challenge power imbalances within data ecosystems across Africa.

It emphasizes approaches that reflect the lived realities and diverse identities of all citizens, but most especially women, girls and other gender diverse people.

This handbook also serves as a strategic guide aligned with regional commitments such as the Agenda 2063, the AU Data Policy framework as well as national and continental gender mandates. It promotes inclusive, ethical and participatory approaches to data governance that uphold the rights of women, girls and advance gender equity and ensure accountability. The handbook calls on African governments to strengthen institutional capacity and foster regional collaboration, placing gender equality at the heart of Africa’s data and digital futures.

It is intended to:

• Deepen understanding of gender-transformative data governance and its value in advancing equitable, inclusive development.
• Demonstrate the benefits of robust gender data practices in enhancing evidence-based policymaking, strengthening governance, accountability, and improving development outcomes.

Meaningfully integrating gender considerations beyond sex disaggregation into data systems enables governments and partners to design inclusive policies that address inequalities and reflect the diverse realities of all citizens particularly women and girls.

Who is the Handbook for?

This handbook is designed as a practical action-oriented resource for a wide spectrum of stakeholders committed to advancing gender-transformative data governance in Africa, including decision makers at the African Union, in governments and international institutions, national policymakers, technocrats, advocacy groups, and civil society organizations.

It is especially relevant to those involved in designing, implementing and overseeing data systems and policies at local, national, and regional levels, as well as those advocating for more inclusive and just data governance systems. The handbook seeks to foster collaboration across institutions and sectors, ensure that gender perspectives inform every stage of data governance, and drive collective accountability for meaningful change. Decision makers can use it to set agendas and allocate resources, technocrats and data professionals can consult it for technical guidance, while CSOs and advocacy organizations will find it valuable for holding institutions accountable and amplifying the voices of women, girls and gender diverse people in policy dialogues and reform initiatives.

Structure and How to Use this Handbook

The handbook invites users to approach data governance not as a purely technical exercise but as a process grounded in social justice, aiming for citizen-centric and gender-equitable outcomes. It provides a structured pathway to support actors in making inclusivity a core feature of their data governance work, rather than a peripheral concern.

Step 1: Engage with the handbook sections most relevant to your goals and needs

Chapter One sets the foundation, clarifying the rationale for this handbook, its intended audience, and the participatory process behind its development. Begin here to anchor your understanding and align your objectives with the handbook’s focus on gender equality and transformative frameworks.

Chapter Two introduces and unpacks pivotal concepts such as gender data, intersectionality, and feminist approaches to governance that underpin gender transformative data governance. Use this chapter to build shared language and conceptual clarity within your team or institution.

Chapter Three guides users through key African Union mandates and policies, explaining how these frameworks can and should inform national and institutional gender data strategies. This chapter helps you contextualize your efforts within the broader continental commitments and accountability mechanisms.

Step 2: Apply the Eight Strategic Goals Practically

Chapter Four details eight strategic goals essential to advancing gender-transformative data governance across Africa. Each goal is accompanied by specific actionable steps and a checklist of questions to help assess progress toward gender transformative data governance. Work through each strategic goal, leveraging the checklists and suggested activities to audit and improve your existing practices. All eight strategic goals may not be applied at once. Stakeholders are encouraged to review the goals and select the one(s) most relevant to their context and then adapt and apply them based on their specific needs and priorities.

Step 3: Foster Collaboration and Reflective Practice

While you may use this handbook individually, it is most powerful when engaged with collectively. Discuss the questions and exercises with colleagues from both civil society and government to cultivate a richer analysis and more robust solutions. Collaborative reflection will help uncover unseen barriers and foster buy-in for change at multiple levels.

Step 4: Close the Gaps between Policy and Reality

Use the handbook’s guidance to systematically identify, analyze, and address the misalignments between citizen needs, specifically women and girls, and current state or institutional priorities. Apply gender data, inclusive public participation, and coordinated action to shrink these gaps and drive progress towards equitable, effective data governance that benefits everyone and leaves no one behind.

1. ITU (2024), Navigating Data Governance: A guiding Tool for Regulators: https://digitalregulation.org/navigating-da- ta-governance-a-guiding-tool-for-regulators/
2. Mo Ibrahim Foundation (2024) The power of data for governance 2023 IIAG Series Report Closing data gaps to accel- erate Africa’s transformation;
3. United Nations, 2016 Integrating a Gender Perspective into Statistics; United Nations publication, ISBN: 978-92-1- 161571-5
4. Bruno Miguel Vital Bernardo, Henrique São Mamede, João Manuel Pereira Barroso, Vítor Manuel Pereira Duarte dos Santos, (2024), Data governance S quality management—Innovation and breakthroughs across different fields, Journal of Innovation S Knowledge, Volume 9, Issue 4,,100598, ISSN2444-569X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2024.100598.
5. UN Women, (2023), Handbook on Gender Mainstreaming for Gender Equality Results
6. UN Women (2023),Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. The Gender Snapshot 2023
7. The African Development Bank, (2022),The African Development Bank Group Gender Strategy 2021 – 2025 Investing in Africa’s women to accelerate inclusive growth,
8. Ibid
9. African Union Data Policy Framework. 2022. Documents, https://au.int/en/ documents/20220728/au-data-poli- cy-framework
10. Self Help Africa (n.d), Gender and inclusion, Position paper 3
11.  The Data Protection and Privacy Regulations, 2021; Statutory Instrument No. 21 of.2021: https://pdpo.go.ug/me- dia/2022/03/Data_Protection_and_Privacy_Regulations-2021.pdf
12. Zambia Data Protection Act 2021 Quick Guide: Office of the data protection commissioner, August