Advocacy session on gender-disaggregated data collection to advance SDG localisation in Bangladesh

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), organised an ‘Advocacy Session on Gender-Segregated Data Collection’ under the Accelerate SDG Localisation in Bangladesh project, reports a press release.

Implemented by UNOPS in partnership with UN Women, the project aims to develop a ‘Bangladesh Model” for localising Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 — Gender Equality, and SDG 16 — Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

The advocacy session brought together representatives from the BBS, district administrations, local government institutions, civil society organisations, women’s think tanks, and other key stakeholders to strengthen the collection, analysis, and utilisation of gender-segregated data at the local level.

Mohammad Obaidul Islam, director general (ad interim) of BBS, graced the session as the chief guest, with Md Emdadul Haque, director of the Demography and Health Wing, presiding as the chair. The event also featured Shirin Sultana, partnership advisor at UNOPS, as the guest of honour, while welcome remarks were presented by Md Alamgir Hossen, focal point of the SDG Cell.

Accurate and disaggregated data is central to achieving the SDGs and ensuring that development efforts respond effectively to the realities faced by women and marginalised communities. While BBS serves as the national custodian of official statistics, local-level engagement remains essential for translating national commitments into inclusive planning and evidence-based policymaking.

The session aims to enhance awareness among district-level stakeholders on the importance of gender-segregated data for inclusive governance and SDG monitoring. It will also strengthen the capacity of local leaders to advocate for gender-responsive policies and improve alignment between local data systems and national standards established by BBS.

The discussions focused on the Government of Bangladesh’s 39+1 National Priority Targets, with particular emphasis on SDG 5 and SDG 16 indicators at the sub-national level. Key technical focus areas included tracking female labor force participation, reducing child marriage, promoting women’s participation in local governance, monitoring birth registration, strengthening access to justice, and improving institutional responsiveness to women’s safety concerns.

The initiative is expected to result in stronger commitments from local authorities to maintain and report gender-disaggregated datasets, while also supporting improved localised reporting into the National SDG Tracker. Through these advocacy sessions, the project aims to establish a network of 190 “SDG Data Champions” across Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Chittagong divisions.