African Women, Children: Data Systems Under Scrutiny From Statisticians, Stakeholders

The First African Forum on Gender and Child Statistics, AGCSF commenced on Monday, July 6, 2026 in the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé. Hosted by the National Institute of Statistics, NIS of Cameroon, the conference brings together data producers, policymakers, the civil society, and academic institutions from across the continent for a decisive five-day summit (July 6-10, 2026).

Why Statistics Matter
Running on the theme, "Statistics that Matter: Advancing Rights, Justice, and Opportunities for All," the forum represents a historic milestone. While marking the eighth iteration of the African Forum on Gender Statistics, it is the first time the continental summit has officially merged its agenda to incorporate specific child statistics, establishing a dual focus on the region’s most vulnerable populations.
The opening ceremony featured a robust show of solidarity from the continent's major developmental conveners. Opening remarks celebrated regional progress, noting that Africa's overall score on the Africa Gender Equality Index crept up from 48.6% in 2019 to 50.3% in 2023.

Utility Of Metrics 
Koffi Marc Kouakou, representing the African Development Bank, emphasized the practical utility of metrics during the opening, stating: "This is a very interesting tool that allows us to measure the progress made in terms of gender equality on the African continent. We are going to help countries collect data, analyse and validate data for the third edition of the index in 2027."

Represent Voices, Aspirations 
UNICEF also delivered a powerful opening address via videoconference. Mrs. Ramou Ndoure, the Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa for UNICEF, reminded the audience that data is deeply human, stating that "statistics represent the voices and the aspirations of women and children." While noting that "too many children are missing from official statistics."

Aggregating Data 
UN Women echoed this sentiment, calling for structural changes in national accounting. "For us, it is very, very important that all data is aggregated by gender and age, and that this data is popularised, is known, and that we can use it to engage in strong policies and budgets," stated Ms. Marie Pierre Raky Chaupin, UN Women Country Representative.

Rising Vulnerabilities 
Highlighting Cameroon's local commitment to the cause, NIS Director General Joseph Tedou pointed to the compounding global challenges making this event necessary. Noting that "vulnerability situations are becoming more and more frequent; whether they are linked to internal crises or international crises, or crises related to climate change." He added that the ultimate objective of the forum is to "work toward proposing recommendations, the implementation of which can allow different countries, as well as the continent, to organize themselves for a better response to these crises."

During Five Days
Over the next four days, the forum will proceed through six highly specialized thematic clusters, reviewing everything from civil registration systems to climate justice metrics. The event will culminate on Friday, July 10, 2026 with the adoption of an official meeting outcome document featuring draft resolutions to reshape the African Statistical System.

Aggregating Data 
UN Women echoed this sentiment, calling for structural changes in national accounting. "For us, it is very, very important that all data is aggregated by gende...