The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in collaboration with UN Women organized a one-day National Conference on "Gender Data and Statistics: From Evidence to Policy Insights" on November 2, 2026, in New Delhi. The conference brought together policymakers, representatives from Central Ministries/Departments and State Governments, statisticians, researchers, academic institutions, technical experts, and UN agency representatives to deliberate on strengthening the analysis and use of gender statistics for evidence-based policymaking.
The primary purpose was to deliberate on and disseminate findings from MoSPI's flagship publication Women and Men in India 2025, with the aim of deepening understanding of key findings across sectors, facilitating inter-ministerial discussions, and identifying opportunities to strengthen analytical and policy use of gender statistics.
Key speakers included Ms. Shoko Ishikawa, UN Women India Country Representative, who emphasized the importance of gender-disaggregated data and bridging gaps between data producers and users. Mr. Jean-Eric Paque, Ambassador of the European Union to India, highlighted the EU-India Strategic Partnership in advancing gender equality and women's economic participation. Dr. Shamika Ravi, Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, highlighted progress in welfare delivery and women's financial empowerment while stressing the need for improved employment quality, state-level analysis, and stronger gender statistics to guide policy reforms.
The conference featured four thematic technical sessions examining specific areas of gender disparity. The health and survival session recognized progress in maternal healthcare and essential health services while highlighting persistent challenges in nutrition and adolescent health. The education session noted improvements in girls' enrollment but emphasized gaps in learning outcomes, STEM participation, and employment pathways. The work and wages session acknowledged rising female labor-force participation while highlighting challenges in job quality, wage disparities, and unpaid care work burdens. The livelihoods session recognized progress in women's entrepreneurship and financial inclusion while stressing the need for better access to credit, markets, sustainable livelihoods, and enhanced safety measures.
During the valedictory session, Ms. Suhela Khan of UN Women India and Ms. Geeta Singh Rathore of MoSPI highlighted the need to address persistent gender disparities across all discussed sectors, with particular emphasis on employment quality, unpaid care work, and financial inclusion. The discussions provided valuable inputs for future editions of Women and Men in India, particularly the 2026 edition, underscoring the importance of improved gender gap measurement, strengthened inter-ministerial coordination, and evidence-based policymaking.
The conference concluded by reaffirming the importance of strengthening India's gender statistical ecosystem and fostering continued collaboration among government institutions, statistical agencies, researchers, and development partners to translate gender-disaggregated data into meaningful policy insights for inclusive development and gender equality advancement.