This document has been prepared to guide capacity building for the production and utilization of gender statistics in the National Statistical System (NSS). Capacity building (or capacity development) is the process by which individuals and organizations obtain, improve, and retain the skills, knowledge, tools, equipment and other resources needed to do their jobs competently or to a greater capacity. By strengthening the capacities of individuals, organizations and the enabling environment, the foundation is laid for meaningful participation in national and local development processes and thereby achieving sustainable development results. It is worth noting that capacity development is an ongoing arrangement. There are a number of ways through which capacity could be lost. These include, capacity destruction, capacity flight, lack of exposure, and change of technology. 

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) is prioritizing the implementation of a capacity building programme for gender statistics in order to strengthen the capability of the stakeholders in the NSS to produce and use gender statistics. It was vital to update and strengthen the Capacity Building Programme for Gender Statistics to efficiently and sustainably build institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders in the NSS. Limited capacity for the development of methodological work on emerging areas of gender statistics and innovative measures also underscores the need to update the capacity building program. The results of the capacity assessment study revealed that capacity building initiatives existed within selected Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) in the form of supportive structures such as gender units or desks, capacity building departments, technical support units that included gender as well as policies, guidelines and tools. Capacity gaps highlighted in MDAs included staffing levels, limited appreciation of the concepts and limited capacity to use skills and experiential learning. In addition, the Gender and Equity capacity development plan (2017/18-2021/22) identified limited availability of gender statistics data as a capacity gap that limits identification of gender priorities and concerns for the budget. 

The overarching aim of the Capacity Building Programme for Gender Statistics is to enhance capacity and skills of staff across the entire NSS to mainstream gender in statistical production and use. 

Bibliographic information

Publication year: 2018
Number of pages: iv + 28