Introduction:

Stage I: Scope:

This is the starting point of the preparation of gender statistics, and the first collaborative stage between GaStat and its government entities partners. These entities were contacted and workshops and meetings were held with these entities which were: the Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing as the main source of data. Furthermore, coordination was established between statistical departments in GaStat to provide data from the outputs of surveys, and the key beneficiaries of gender statistics such as the Family Affairs Council, the National Observatory for Women, and the Shura Council were contacted as data providers and beneficiaries at the same time. The purpose of contacting such entities was to understand the needs and recognize the requirements of data users, and to take their opinions in consideration to ensure the realization of all the objectives of gender statistics which are summarized into the following:

1. Supporting decision-makers, policymakers, researchers, and those interested in obtaining comprehensive and updated gender statistics in Saudi Arabia.
2. Providing decision-makers with the data necessary for empowering and developing the skills of women in line with Vision 2030, in addition to monitoring developments and progress through bulletins on women’s empowerment.
3. Providing gender statistics in the Kingdom that include data on the Saudi population (male / female) according to a number of demographic, educational, health and practical characteristics, which helps those interested in deducing needs, capabilities, equal opportunities and gender roles in all important areas such as education, health and work.
4. Creating a database that can serve as a reliable gender statistics resource for specialists and relevant parties (locally, regionally and internationally).

Gender statistics help meet the requirements of Saudi Vision 2030 as well as other requirements of regional organizations such as: ESCWA, and international requirements set out by UN WOMEN.

This stage is for designing statistical work as an integrated product. It involves identifying the method and tools of data collection. Clients are made partners in all those procedures to benefit from their observations to meet all requirements and include them in the statistical product.

The key outputs of this stage are:

1.   Statistical Sources:

The Gender statistics data rely on two main sources to ensure comprehensive gender data for KSA. The first is GaStat’s field sources (censuses, sample surveys), and the second is administrative sources (records) that provide data on a regular and periodic basis to allow GaStat to measure and publish indicators in the Gender Statistics Bulletin. 

The following table illustrates the Gender Statistics data sources and types:

Mean age in years when people under 50 first married.

How long, on average, a newborn is expected to live, if current death rates do not change.

Percentage of population aged 15 and above who cannot read and write and understand a simple statement about their daily lives.

Individuals aged 15 and above who are able and willing to provide services and commodities, whether employed or unemployed.

Individuals aged 15 and above who work or used to work in the government or private sector, provided that the working hours are not less than one hour during the timeline.

Individuals aged 15 or above who are able to and looking for work and whose work is available to them but have not worked during the timeline.

Number of unemployed persons to the total workforce.

The percentage of economically active persons in a given year to the total human force (15-64) in the same year. 

The main type of work a worker is involved in within the timeline.

An individual or group of individuals who may or may not be related, and who share residence and food in one dwelling during the time of survey. A household includes:

1. Saudis and non-Saudis who typically reside at the household but were not present at the time of the survey because they were traveling temporarily, such as: businessmen, and individuals traveling abroad either for treatment, tourism, or education.
2. Members who typically reside at the household but were not available at the time of the survey due to their night shifts. For example: physicians, nurses, fishermen, airport staff, guards...etc.
3. Domestic workers and drivers residing within a household.
4. Family members who are travelling within the Kingdom.

The total cash and in-kind income of all female and male household members of all ages that can be spent or saved. Income consists of several sources:

1. Salaries and cash and in-kind payments.
2. Property rent.
3. Business net income.
4. Property income.
5. Current transfers.
6. Other income streams.

An individual aged 15 years and above who is considered the main decision-maker in the family. If a family is comprised of a mother and her children and is looked after by a male relative who does not reside with them, this relative is not considered the head or a member of the household, and the head of the household in this case would be the mother.

A mathematical average is the sum of a group of values divided by the number of values in the group. The average household income is the sum of household income divided by the number of household members.

A mathematical average is the sum of a group of values divided by the number of values in the group. The average household spending is the sum of household spending divided by the number of household members.

Average births per woman in her whole life.

3.18.   Participation in the Political and Public Life:

Providing more opportunities for women to participate in the political and public life, access and control resources, improve their reality by knowing their rights and duties, access jobs, and promote their ability to make decisions.

The Bulletin included a number of results and indicators pertaining to gender statistics, mainly:

Stage III: Organization:

It is the final preparation stage in which the required workflow procedures are established for preparing gender statistics, starting with the collection stage and ending with the assessment stage and the organization and grouping of those procedures. The optimal sequence of those procedures is chosen to arrive at a methodology that achieves the goals of gender statistics. A review was made in this stage of the procedures that were taken upon the preparation of the previous version of gender statistics to develop the work procedures in the current version. Those procedures were also described and documented to facilitate any updates in future rounds. The statistical workflow procedures were tested and examined to ensure their compliance with the requirements of preparing gender statistics in their final form, approve the procedures of the statistical workflow, and develop a roadmap for implementation.

Stage IV: Data Collection:

In coordination with the relevant government authorities, GaStat has obtained gender statistics data from the administrative records available with such authorities via online sheets that were uploaded and saved on its databases. They were audited and reviewed using the scientific statistical methodology and accepted quality standards. Data sources were consulted when a potential error was encountered. The Population Estimates and Projections Department collaborated with the relevant GaStat departments to provide it with survey data required by gender statistics.

Stage V: Categorization: 

Raw data categorization in gender statistics relied on the coding and classification inputs made in the data collection phase, in which all data were categorized based on the measurement methods adopted in international reports published by UNDP and World Economic Forum.

During this stage, specialists from the Population Estimates and Projections Statistics Department  processed and analyzed data based on several procedures:

• Sorting and arranging data in a particular sequence or into different groups or categories.
• Summarizing detailed data into key points.
• Combining and interconnecting many data segments.
• Processing lost or missing data.
• Processing illogical data.
• Converting data into a form that has statistical significance.
• Organizing, presenting and interpreting data.

In this respect, data were displayed in suitable tables to help in summarizing, understanding and drawing conclusions from it, as well as comparing it to other data and observing statistical significance as they relate to the Study’s population, thus facilitating access thereto. The most significant data processes procedures included "Data anonymization". In order to ensure data confidentiality, GaStat removed the identifiers from the input fields for the survey data, such as hiding the names and addresses of the individuals as well as other identifiers, to protect their privacy.

Stage VI: Review:

First: Verifying data outputs:

After reviewing and verifying the data accumulated during the fourth stage , GaStat calculated and extracted the results, after which it uploaded and stored it on the database. The final reviewing processes were conducted by specialists in the Social Statistics Department using modern technologies and software designed for the purposes of review and audit.

Second: Dealing with confidential data:

Pursuant to Royal Decree No.23 dated 07/12/1397 AH, GaStat is committed to the absolute confidentiality of all obtained data and not using them except for statistical purposes. Therefore, data are safely stored on GaStat’ss servers.

Stage VII: Publication:

First: Preparing and setting data for publication:

In this stage, GaStat coordinated, organized and reviewed the data contained in the bulletin.Afterwards, publication tables and graphs for data and indicators were set and prepared, and metadata and methodological data were added to them and were prepared in Arabic and English.

Second: Preparing media content and announcing the Bulletin:

After GaStat announced the Bulletin’s release date on its official website at the beginning of the calendar year, it prepares in this stage the required media materials to announce the Bulletin’s release on all media outlets, as well as its various social media platforms. The announcement will be made on the date set for publication. The Bulletin will be first published on the official website in various templates of open data in Excel format

to guarantee its circulation and accessibility to all clients and parties interested in gender statistics and to add it to the website’s statistics library.

Third: Communication with clients and Bulletin dissemination

Due to the great importance it gives to communication with clients using its data, GaStat contacts them upon the release of the Gender Statistics Bulletin to provide them with it. It also receives their questions and inquiries regarding the Bulletin and its results through various communication channels used to request data as well. Inquiries and requests are received through:

• GaStat’s official website: www.stats.gov.sa
• GaStat email: info@stats.gov.sa
• Client support email: cs@stats.gov.sa
• Visiting GaStat HQ in Riyadh or one of its branches across the Kingdom.
• Official Letters.
• By Statistical Phone (920020081).

Stage VIII: Assessment:

After the Bulletin is released and received by all GaStat’s clients, the clients are contacted again in this stage in which the entire statistical process is assessed, with the aim of constant improvement to obtain high-quality data. The improvements may include methodologies, processes, systems, statistical researchers’ skills and statistical frameworks. This stage is done in collaboration with data users and GaStat’s clients through a number of steps:

First:Collection of Measurable Assessment Inputs:

Comments and remarks are collected and documented from their sources throughout all stages, such as the remarks deduced by specialists concerned with reviewing, checking and analyzing data collected from administrative records. Comments and remarks presented by data users are collected and documented after publication, in addition to what is being monitored via media outlets or the clients’ remarks which GaStat receives through its main channels.

Second: Assessment:

Collected assessment inputs are analyzed, and the results of this analysis are compared with pre-anticipated results. Accordingly, potential improvements and solutions are identified and discussed with experts and specialists and entities concerned with gender statistics are engaged. In this stage, the performance of clients’ use of gender statistics results and their satisfaction with them are measured. Based on that, recommendations are developed to enhance the quality of the results of future gender statistics.

Stage IX: Administration:

A comprehensive stage that spans over all the stages of producing gender statistics. This stage determines the general production plan, including the feasibility study, risk management, means of funding, disbursement mechanisms, as well as developing performance indicators, quality standards, human resources map necessary for production, following up on the execution of tasks assigned to all departments in each stage, and submitting reports to ensure that GaStat fulfills its commitments towards its clients.