From 8 - 14 April 2019, the government of Maldives, through the National Bureau of Statistics of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, and the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services with support from PARIS21, prepared a new project aimed at strengthening gender statistics in the Maldives.

The PARIS21 mission included consultation meetings with main ministries involved in the production and planning of gender statistics  (Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture and Labour Relations Authority, Ministry of Planning and Infrastructure). The purpose of these meetings was to identify the main challenges related to the production of gender information.

On the 9 April, a 1-day Stakeholder Workshop on Gender Statistics was held with representatives from 20 government ministries, agencies as well as civil society organisations and international agencies. The workshop, opened by a keynote speech from the Minister of Gender, Hon. Shidhatha Shareef, was enriched by presentations relating to gender statistics mainstreaming by the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services as well as the Ministry of Planning and Infrastructure.

Finally, the workshop participants reflected on the CD4.0 dimensions and identified multiple challenges related to the production of high-quality gender information. Additionally, the purpose of the mission was to field-test the new PARIS21 questionnaire for identifying gender statistics gaps in the national statistical system. A draft concept note on project implementation in the Maldives will be prepared as an outcome of the mission. It will serve as basis for the co=operation and gender statistics gaps assessment to be undertaken in June 2019.

The project is supported by the co-operation between PARIS21 and UN Women in the framework of the ‘Making Every Woman and Girl Count’ programme.