Opening the forum, INS Director General Joseph Tedou stressed that reliable statistics are essential for identifying vulnerable populations and designing effective public policies.
- Country:
- Cameroon
African governments and development partners have pledged to strengthen statistical systems across the continent to ensure public policies are guided by more accurate, harmonised and detailed data on women and children. The commitment was made at the first African Forum on Gender and Child Statistics (AGCSF 2026), which concluded on 10 July in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
The five-day forum was organised by the African Development Bank Group, the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), UN Women and UNICEF, in partnership with Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics (INS). Held under the theme “Statistics that matter: rights, justice and opportunities for all,” the event brought together government officials, national statistics agencies, researchers, development partners, civil society organisations and private sector representatives from across Africa.
The 2026 gathering marked a significant milestone as it expanded the former African Forum on Gender Statistics by fully integrating child-related data into its discussions, reflecting a broader approach to promoting rights, equality and inclusive development.
Reliable Data Seen as Key to Better Policies
Opening the forum, INS Director General Joseph Tedou stressed that reliable statistics are essential for identifying vulnerable populations and designing effective public policies. He said communities that are not counted in official data often remain invisible when governments allocate re
African Development Bank Central Africa Director General Léandre Bassolé echoed that message, saying reliable data provides the foundation for informed development decisions. He reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s statistical capacity through initiatives such as the African Gender Equality Index and continued support for member countries in improving data collection and analysis.
Throughout the forum, participants explored ways to improve the production, harmonisation and use of gender and child statistics. Discussions covered issues including violence against women and children, legal identity, migration, access to justice, climate change, women’s leadership and the growing role of administrative data, digital technologies and artificial intelligence in modernising national statistical systems.
Forum Sets Direction for Future Gender Equality Monitoring
The meeting also advanced preparations for the African Gender Index (AGI) 2027, a joint initiative of the African Development Bank Group and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Delegates reviewed the expanded methodology for the next edition of the index, assessed lessons from the pilot data collection phase and discussed how improved indicators can strengthen monitoring of gender equality across the continent.
UNICEF Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa Ramou Ndure said statistics represent the real lives of people and remain essential for ensuring that every child, woman and family is included in development planning. She emphasised that behind every data point is a person whose needs should be recognised and addressed through concrete public action.
Participants concluded by recommending that the forum become an annual platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and policy dialogue. They also called on African governments to increase investment in national statistical systems, encouraged development partners to maintain long-term support for quality data production and urged statistical institutions to continue modernising their methods to advance equality, human rights and inclusive development across the continent.
