The United Nations Women organization in South Sudan has expressed concerns over the difficulty in obtaining critical data, particularly for issues related to women, which hampers effective analysis and program implementation in the country.
Rukuya Mohammed, Deputy Country Representative of UN Women in South Sudan, highlighted the challenge of accessing institutional data, emphasizing that it has been a significant obstacle for their work.
This issue is particularly pronounced when it comes to gathering data related to women’s issues, making it difficult to monitor and evaluate progress in various projects.
“The issue of data in South Sudan is very difficult,” Mohammed said. “It’s important that the National Bureau of Statistics receives more support, as finding data, whether on general topics or specifically regarding women, remains a major challenge.
Without proper data, it’s hard to track progress in the projects we are implementing across the country.”
Mohammed further called on the National Bureau of Statistics to make institutional data more accessible online. She noted that UN Women is collaborating with the Bureau to improve access to gender-specific data, which is crucial for advancing gender equality in South Sudan.
“We are working closely with the National Bureau of Statistics on gender statistics. If accessing general data is difficult, you can imagine how challenging it is to gather gender-specific data,” she added. “We will continue to work together on a gender statistics strategy and provide updates on progress.”
UN Women plays a vital role in promoting gender equality globally, striving to create an environment where every woman and girl can fully exercise her human rights and realize her potential. Improved access to data is essential for the organization’s efforts to achieve these goals in South Sudan.
