Databases

While various databases offer pieces of gender-environment information, no comprehensive go-to source exists yet that makes a wide range of relevant data easy to access and analyze from a gender lens. Very few databases have an explicit, dedicated focus on gender and environment linkages. Most contain some partial or tangential information but lack a holistic approach. Data coverage and quality varies widely. Many have limited geographic scope or rely on irregular reporting from countries. Critical perspectives intersecting gender with race, class and indigeneity are often lacking. Data frequently takes a binary view of gender. Major blind spots exist around topics like women’s environmental leadership, climate finance access, land rights, climate-induced loss/damage. Available data is spread across disparate sources with no unified platform for access and analysis.

In summary, while the building blocks exist in fragmented form across various databases, there remains a need for more coordinated efforts to generate comprehensive, intersectional data that sheds light on diverse gender-environment connections and elevates women’s voices.

List of Databases

Database name, creator and website URL	Description	What data is available?	What are the limitations of the data?
The CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture Creator: Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Website: https://bigdata.cgiar.org/	The CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture provides open access to datasets, tools, and resources aimed at harnessing big data capabilities to accelerate international agricultural research. Target users include researchers, policy makers, investors, and development partners working in agriculture and food systems. The platform convenes partners to develop innovative analytical approaches and projects demonstrating the potential of big data analytics. Content areas cover crops, livestock, fisheries, forestry, natural resources, climate, nutrition, and policies.	Crop data: includes detailed trial data, as well as aggregated datasets on crop yields, production, cultivated area, fertilizer application, and more for major staple crops like maize, rice, wheat, cassava, potatoes, etc. (1962-2022) Livestock data: Datasets on livestock populations, production systems, feeds, yields, genetics, health, and environmental impacts for cattle, chickens, pigs, small ruminants, and more. (1960-2021) Fisheries data: Data on production, utilization, processing, trade, consumption, aquaculture systems, and value chains for major fish commodities and select aquatic agricultural systems. (2010-2022) Forestry data: Includes spatial data on forest cover and cover change, forest types and systems, biomass stocks, carbon content, biodiversity indicators, livelihood dependencies, degradation, etc. (1980-2020) Climate data: High resolution climate, weather, and seasonal forecast data to support climate-smart agriculture. (1980-2022) Nutrition data: Food composition data for micronutrients, anti-nutrients and bioactive compounds in key crops and food items. Also household consumption data from recent Demographic and Health Surveys. (2010-2020) Policy data: Databases tracking policy indicators related to seed systems, biotechnology, food safety regulations, trade barriers, etc. (2015-2022)	Much of the data is not gender disaggregated
Gender and Land Rights Database (GLRD) Creator: FAO Website: https://www.fao.org/gender-landrights-database/en/	The Gender and Land Rights Database provides up-to-date country-level information on legal developments and factors affecting gender equality in land tenure. Content includes 84 country profiles, sex-disaggregated data, and a Legal Assessment Tool (LAT) to evaluate gender-equitable land laws. Key users are policy makers, women’s land rights advocates, and researchers. The database is updated annually with new country assessments.	84 country profiles with qualitative info on land rights for women (2010-2022) Sex-disaggregated quantitative data on land ownership (2010-2022) Legal Assessment Tool data on national land laws (2010-2022) Annual updates with new country profiles and data (2010-2022)	The country coverage is uneven, with some regions better represented than others. More profiles are needed from Latin America, North America, Europe to create a fully global picture. More intersectional data capturing how gender intersects with ethnicity, race, class is needed for a fuller picture.
ILOSTAT Creator: ILO Website: https://ilostat.ilo.org	ILOSTAT is the ILO’s central statistics database providing labor statistics for countries across the world. Key indicators cover employment, unemployment, labor force participation, hours of work, wages, labor productivity, occupational injuries, strikes and lockouts, and labor disputes. Data is updated periodically throughout the year. Target users include policymakers, researchers, media, employers’ and workers’ organizations.	Employment data by economic sector, occupation, status, demographics (1991-2022) Unemployment rates by age, education level, urban/rural location (1991-2022) Labor force participation rates by age, sex, education level: 1990-2022 Wages, income, labor costs data (1983-2021) Working hours and arrangements (full-time, part-time, etc) (2000-2019) Labor productivity estimates (1990-2022) Occupational injury/illness rates (2000-2020) Labor disputes and union actions data (1994-2022)	Focus is primarily formal employment – lacks data on informal labor Limited metrics on gender pay gap, unpaid work, and care roles More qualitative insights needed on precarious work issues Data on migrant laborers and human rights issues limited
OECD Gender Data Portal Creator: OECD Website: https://www.oecd.org/gender/data	This portal compiles cross-country quantitative indicators and qualitative data on gender inequalities across various topics like education, employment, health, etc. Coverage spans OECD member countries plus Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa. Data is updated periodically from multiple OECD databases.	Education indicators: enrollment, attainment, field of study (1990-2021) Employment data: labor force participation, wages, leadership roles (1995-2021) Entrepreneurship rates and obstacles by gender (1998-2020) Health data: life expectancy, mental health, obesity (1995-2021) Development assistance for gender equality (2008-2019) Laws and policies related to gender (1995-2021)	Limited developing country coverage (Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Africa) Lacks qualitative, participatory data to complement quantitative metrics Intersectional data on gender and race, class, etc. could be expanded More focus on informal sociocultural norms and barriers needed
Social Inclusion and Gender Index (SIGI) Creator: OECD Website: https://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?DataSetCode=SIGI2019 https://www.genderindex.org	The SIGI measures gender-based discrimination in social institutions across 180 countries. It is organized around 5 sub-indices: discriminatory family code, restricted physical integrity, son bias, restricted resources and assets, and restricted civil liberties. The index was first published in 2009 and is updated periodically.	Quantitative scores and qualitative info on 5 dimensions of gender-based discrimination (2009-2019) Country profiles with legal/social framework analyses Sub-national data for some countries Supplementary survey data on norms/attitudes	Coverage of only 180 countries Irregular updates make trends hard to track Individual-level survey data could complement country-level analysis More participation from national statistics offices needed
Minimum Set of Gender Indicators Database Creator: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Website: https://gender-data-hub-2-undesa.hub.arcgis.com	A set of 51 quantitative and 11 qualitative indicators to guide national gender statistics aligned with the Beijing Platform for Action and SDGs. Covers 5 domains: economic empowerment, education, health, public life, and human rights.	Quantitative data for 51 gender-related indicators (varies by country) Qualitative info for 11 indicators on policies, laws, etc. Data sourced from national statistics systems Dataset last updated in 2020	Significant data gaps for many indicators globally Irregular reporting from countries Data quality issues in some national datasets Qualitative data could be expanded and standardized
UNSDG Creator: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Website: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/dataportal	The UN SDG Global Database contains data on over 200 SDG indicators reported by countries. It allows access to SDG data by indicator, country, region and time period.	Quantitative data for multiple SDG indicators (2016-2020) Country-level data disaggregated by relevant dimensions Regional and global aggregates Annual updates	Significant gaps remain for many indicators Quality and consistency of country data varies Data lags – most recent is 2020 More qualitative data could complement quantified metrics
Caribbean Gender Portal Creator: UN Women Website: https://caribbean.unwomen.org/en/caribbean-gender-portal	This portal by UN Women provides information on gender equality in the Caribbean through country profiles, thematic briefs, laws and policies databases, and COVID-19 resources.	Qualitative analysis and stats in country profile briefs (2018-2021) Laws, policies and action plans database (2000-2021) Thematic briefs on gender issues (2015-2021) COVID-19 impact resources and response tracker (2020-2022)	Limited quantitative, survey-based data Irregular updates to some resources Depth of coverage varies greatly among countries Space for civil society voices could be expanded
UN Women Country Fact Sheets Creator: UN Women Website: https://data.unwomen.org/countries	These fact sheets compile country-level indicators, statistics, and resources on gender equality published by UN Women.	120+ gender-specific indicators aligned with SDGs (2015-2020) Resources related to UN Women focus areas (2018-2021) COVID-19 response information (2020-2022)	Quantitative focus provides partial view Qualitative, participatory data could add nuance Irregular updating for some countries More emphasis on intersectional perspectives needed
Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) Creator: UNICEF Website: https://mics.unicef.org	MICS surveys provide data on wellbeing of women and children through national household surveys conducted in 118 countries since mid 1990s.	100+ indicators on health, education, child protection, etc. (1995-2021) Survey microdata and reports (1995-2021) Time series data for some countries (1995-2021) Last conducted in 2020-2021 round	Inconsistent quality across countries Excludes women outside 15-49 age range Limited ability to merge data across countries Qualitative data could add contextual value
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Creator: USAID Website: https://dhsprogram.com	The DHS Program has conducted over 400 national household surveys covering health, nutrition, HIV, and gender issues in 90+ countries since the 1980s.	Gender-related data across 4 domains (1985-2019) Population, health, and nutrition indicators (1985-2019) HIV prevalence metrics (2001-2019) Survey reports, datasets, mapping tools	Inconsistent quality and availability across countries Excludes women outside 15-49 age range Data lags – latest survey data is from 2019 Insufficient qualitative and participatory elements
Gender Data Portal Creator: The World Bank Website: https://genderdata.worldbank.org	World Bank portal sharing gender statistics and analysis through data visualizations to inform policy making.	Country profiles with gender indicator stats (1960-2020) Interactive data visualizations and analysis Downloadable datasets in various formats	Irregular updates for some countries and indicators Limited qualitative or perceptual data Scope for more participatory, demand-driven data Need more emphasis on intersecting inequalities
Gender Climate Tracker Creator: Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) Website: https://genderclimatetracker.org/	This tracker from WEDO follows gender-related developments in UN climate policies and collates related statistics and research.	Country climate plans and policies (2015-2022) Statistics on women’s participation and leadership (2015-2022) Research studies and analyses (2015-2022) Events calendar and news (2015-2022)	Narrow focus on UNFCCC processes Limited coverage of localized contexts, needs Data restricted to online documents and events Could benefit from more primary data collection
The 2022 SDG Gender Index Creator: Equal Measures 2030 Website: https://www.equalmeasures2030.org/2022-sdg-gender-index/	Produced by Equal Measures 2030 (a collaboration of feminist networks, civil society, international development, and the private sector), this index tracks global gender equality progress aligned with the SDGs. The 2022 edition covers 129 countries using 2017-2020 data.	Index scores and rankings across 14 SDGs (2017-2020 data) Underlying data for 51 gender-related indicators Country profiles and visualization tools	Data lags – relies on 2017-2020 sources Some indicators lack sufficient global coverage Qualitative insights could complement quantitative data
CCAFS Gender and Climate Change Survey data Creator: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Website: https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/id/132727 – https://www.ifpri.org/publication/ifpri-ccafs-gender-and-climate-change-survey-data-nyando-kenya	Household survey data collected in 2013 across 4 sites in Africa by IFPRI/CCAFS to analyze gendered perceptions and experiences with climate change.	Quantitative indicators on climate perceptions, impacts, adaptation, constraints (2013) Separate surveys of male and female household members Dataset and survey reports published by IFPRI	Very narrow geographic coverage (4 African sites) Single point in time – lacks trend data Scope for wider range of qualitative questions
Environment and Gender Information Platform (EGI) Creator: IUCN Website: https://genderandenvironment.org/egi/	EGI platform by IUCN collects data on women’s participation in environmental decision-making and gender mainstreaming in policies to track progress on gender equality commitments.	Indicators on women’s leadership, gender policies, budgets etc: Collected from 2010-2020, varying by country Country profiles and infographics: Published between 2013-2018 Data collection covers 2010 onwards: Initial data collection started in 2010, but timing and frequency varies by country. Some countries have the latest data from 2016-2020.	Full datasets not publicly available Irregular updates for some countries Scope for more participatory, primary data Intersectional perspectives could be strengthened
Gender Data Portal Creator: The World Bank Website: https://genderdata.worldbank.org/topics/environment/	The World Bank’s gender data portal provides guidance on collecting sex-disaggregated data on water, sanitation and energy access, but currently lacks environmental data disaggregated by sex.	Guidelines and tools for water, sanitation, energy data (n.d.) No environment data currently available	No gender-disaggregated environmental data yet Needs collection and inclusion of sex-disaggregated environment statistics
Knowledge Network for Biodiversity (KNB) Creator: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Website: https://knb.ecoinformatics.org/	Repository of ecological and environmental research data contributed by scientists worldwide, including some gender data.	One dataset on gender differences in plant knowledge in Brazil (2021) Thousands of ecology/environment datasets, mostly not gender-related	Minimal gender data contributions currently Significant scope for more gender-environment research data Needs targeted outreach to expand gender data submissions
The Pacific Data Hub Creator: The Pacific Community (SPC) supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Websites: https://pacificdata.org / Pacific Environmental Data Portal https://pacific-data.sprep.org/	Gateway to data on climate, environment, and other topics in the Pacific region maintained by SPC. While the New Zealand Ministry is one of the key partners and donors, SPC also receives support from various other sources, including member countries, as well as other international and regional organizations, governments, and development partners.	Population, climate, environment statistics (1990s-2020s) Disaster risk data and assessments Some gender-disaggregated data	Varying coverage and detail across Pacific countries and territories Gender data limited across many topic areas More qualitative social data could complement statistics
Women Speak: Stories, Case Studies And Solutions From The Frontlines Of Climate Change Creator: The Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN International) Website: https://womenspeak.wecaninternational.org/	A storytelling platform by WECAN collecting stories of women leading for climate justice worldwide.	Stories, interviews, case studies (2015-2022) Focused on climate, nature, indigenous rights Growing collection of >1000 stories	Qualitative stories lack analytic framing Geographic representation could be expanded Hard to systematically analyze or compare
The Women’s Resilience Index (WRI) Creator: ActionAid, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Huairou Commission Website: http://actionforglobaljustice.actionaid.org/womens-resilience-index/index_m.htm	Developed by ActionAid, UNDP and Huairou Commission, the WRI measures disaster resilience factors for women in South Asia.	Index scores for 7 South Asian countries (2015) 130 variables across economic, infrastructure, institutional, and social domains Interactive visualization tools	Only covers South Asia currently Single point in time – needs updating Scope to incorporate more direct women’s perspectives Quantitative focus could benefit from mixed methods
UN Women Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database Creator: UN Women	Provides comprehensive data on constitutions and laws across over 180 countries related to gender equality and women’s rights.	Constitutional provisions on women’s rights (1900s-2020s) Laws on gender-based violence, land rights, social protection etc. (1900s-2020s)	Limited focus specifically on gender-environment issues Qualitative data on implementation of laws needed
USAID Demographic and Health Surveys Creator: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)	Nationally representative household surveys providing data on health, population, HIV/AIDS, gender issues, and nutrition.	Data on access to water, cooking fuels, sanitation (1985-2019) Gender-related data on education, health, empowerment (1985-2019)	Environmental focus could be expanded beyond water, energy, sanitation Data only covers women age 15-49 years
CLIO Infra Project Databases Creator: International Institute of Social History (IISH)	Historical time series data on topics like health, education, occupation, politics with some gender perspective.	Women in parliament indicator (1945-2015) Gender gaps in literacy, life expectancy, etc. (1850-2010)	Very limited environmental variables Mostly focused on Western countries Gender-environment connections not explicitly analyzed

This research was conducted through the GEDA Technical Guidance and Data Mapping consultancy led by Trimita Chakma and Bea Moraras, outlined under A Snapshot of Gender-Environment Data. For more information on the consultants, please read their interview for the GEDA Insights Newsletter.