Historically, statistics have often been “gender-blind,” meaning they have not adequately considered the impact of gender on the data being collected and analyzed. The persistent lack of data regarding the realities and experiences of women, particularly those in vulnerable situations, significantly impacts decision-making processes across public, private, and financial sectors. As we know, what gets measured, gets managed, and incorporating an intersectional gender perspective in data generation and analysis is crucial to identify gender gaps, design inclusive policies, and effectively channel resources.
The GLI Forum Latam 2025 featured a session titled “Transformative Data: Incorporating a Gender Perspective into Metrics.” The session brought together representatives from different sectors to explore how to build transformative evidence that informs policies, resources, and interventions to support equality.
Closing Gender Gaps with Data
Measurement is not the be-all and end-all. Incorporating a gender perspective into data makes it possible to uncover inequality and design effective solutions. Graciela Márquez, President of the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), explained it clearly: “We have the tools. Mexico is a global pioneer in surveys, including time-use and care system surveys. We have data; what we’re lacking is the political will to use it strategically.”
INEGI is an independent agency responsible for collecting, processing, and disseminating information on the demographic, social, economic, and environmental situation in Mexico. It has over 78 statistical programs that include sex-disaggregated data, enabling analysis of key areas like employment, income, financial health, violence, and sexual diversity. For the first time in its history, INEGI is led by a woman.
Fernanda García, Director of Inclusive Society at the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), shared her perspective from a civil society standpoint, explaining how data has helped dismantle limiting narratives and support concrete changes.
“We were told that women didn’t aspire to lead,” she said. “So we surveyed them, and the data showed the opposite.”
Today, this data has been used to support legislation at the federal and state levels, demonstrating that many companies still lack effective mechanisms to close gender gaps.
This disconnect between perception and reality is also evident in the private sector. Macarena Botta, Co-founder and CEO of gender consulting firm BRAVA, shared her experience working with companies in Latin America that initially deny having inequality issues. “We were told, ‘That doesn’t happen here.’ But when we disaggregate the data by gender, age, or seniority, another story emerges.” BRAVA has developed diagnostic tools to identify these gender gaps, which can be used to design annual action plans in collaboration with each organization.
For Botta, the fundamental thing is not only to measure, but to act: “The data tells the story, but if that report is kept in a drawer and no action is taken, our work isn’t done.” That is why BRAVA focuses not only on delivering powerful reports but also on translating the findings into concrete changes within the organization, including culture, internal policies, and leadership strategies. In Botta’s experience, gender assessments help companies understand that investing in equality is not only the right thing to do: it’s also good business.
Trustworthiness, Rigor, and Action: The Politics of Data
One of the most significant takeaways from the panel was the vindication of data as a political tool. Data’s value extends beyond its capacity to inform institutional decisions; it also fosters trust between those who provide the data and those who utilize it.
Márquez was clear about this: “INEGI data isn’t downloaded from the internet: they are generated by citizens. We knock on the doors of homes and businesses, and people put their trust in us. Our commitment is to take care of that information with the utmost technical rigor and confidentiality.” For Márquez, this trust is the ultimate purpose of statistical work.
Botta agreed that creating safe spaces to collect quality information is essential. She explained that the surveys BRAVA conducts are anonymous and are complemented by open-ended questions that open the door to collecting respondents’ perceptions, fears, and experiences, information that is impossible to collect from closed-ended questions. “That’s where we get things that we wouldn’t otherwise get,” she said. “The challenge is not only to collect data, but to generate safe spaces.”
The session also brought up an urgent issue: the proliferation of data without proper context, methodology, or verification. Garcia warned that data often circulates out of context or without important information about how/why it was collected: “It is critical to ask where the data come from, what they represent, what methodology was used, and what type of decisions they can be used for.”
The panelists agreed that technological acceleration and the popularization of tools such as artificial intelligence mean that it is critical to equip new generations with critical thinking and statistical literacy skills. “Data is meant to drive action, not decorate presentations,” Botta said.
From Data to Impact
Using data to create true change requires political will, gender-responsive budgeting, and a cohesive narrative. Garcia was blunt: “We are at a point where measurement is no longer enough. The big challenge is implementation.”
In her work at IMCO, she has observed that many companies publicly declare their commitment to gender equality but often lack concrete actions to support these declarations. “Most of the policies we reviewed are symbolic,” she added. “Only one percent is focused on measurement, and a similar number on transparency. We need to move from speech to action.”
Botta agreed on the urgency of progress: “We already know what the gaps are. We live them every day. Now we have to ask ourselves what we are going to do to change them.” BRAVA is currently collaborating with the Government of Uruguay and CAF to design an evidence-based National Gender Plan.
Márquez closed the session with a call to deepen intersectional analysis. “Disaggregating by sex is not enough. We need to acknowledge the inequalities that women face in all their diversity: ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and location.” Accomplishing this requires refining data collection instruments, as well as a commitment to looking beyond the average.
While data cannot change the world on its own, it can serve as the starting point for imagining a better world. As Botta noted, “Each and every one of us can do something from our positions. Change doesn’t rest on the shoulders of just a few institutions; it is a collective responsibility. ”
