Skopje, 17 October 2024 (MIA) - The State Statistical Office (SSO) of North Macedonia and UN Women Office in the country have strengthened the partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding, to further advance gender statistics and promote data-driven policymaking.

This strategic partnership aims to enhance the institutional capacity of the SSO to collect, analyse, and disseminate gender-specific data, enabling better monitoring of gender equality across various national and local programmes, thus contributing to gender equality in the country.

The collaboration will centre on strengthening the SSO’s role in gathering and interpreting gender data, which is critical for developing informed policies that address the unique needs of women and men in North Macedonia. With the support of UN Women, the SSO will be empowered to integrate gender indicators more thoroughly into its statistical framework and ensure the sustainability of this expertise within the institution.

“By producing reliable and timely statistical data divided by gender, we contribute to the creation of policies, measures and activities to improve the situation in the field of gender equality. What we are doing with UN Women is an example of a good and successful practice that produces extraordinary results and benefits for all. Considering the mandates we have as institutions, both the State Statistical Office and UN Women, each with their own competences, we upgrade and complement each other by creating activities and results that represent steps to fulfil the ultimate goal – gender equality equally for everyone and everywhere,” the Director of the State Statistics Office, Dejan Stankov pointed out.

“Globally, gender and sex disaggregated statistics are crucial for advancing gender equality, the empowerment and rights of women and girls. In North Macedonia, our partnership with the State Statistical Office strengthens this global effort by improving the availability and quality of gender data. This collaboration is vital for shaping policies, developing and implementing relevant programmes and informing allocation of resources, that address the specific challenges faced by women and girls,” highlighted Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordination, and Programme Results.

UN Women and the State Statistical Office are dedicated to ensuring that this partnership contributes to meaningful, sustainable change. By combining their expertise, both organizations aim to pave the way for a more equitable future where data-driven insights represent a foundation for national strategies and foster a deeper understanding of gender dynamics in North Macedonia.

Photo: State Statistical Office