From data to change: How better statistics are advancing gender equality across the Western Balkans

Tirana, Albania - For women and girls across the Western Balkans, progress on gender equality is real, but the gap between laws and everyday reality remains. While many economies have passed laws protecting women from violence and promoting equality, measuring whether these laws are making a difference still depends on one thing: reliable and comparable data.

To address this challenge, gender equality experts, statisticians, and policymakers from the Western Balkans and Türkiye gathered for a regional meeting organized by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) and co-facilitated by UN Women. The discussion focused on improving the production and use of gender statistics, particularly on gender-based violence, in line with European Union standards.

Why data matters

As countries move closer to European Union membership, aligning with EU values also means building stronger systems to track progress on gender equality. The 2024 EU Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence calls on countries to collect and publish reliable data to better identify the gaps and measure impact.

“There cannot be good policies without data. It is essential to know where we are, so that we can define where we want to go,” said Irene Ceccanti, Gender Equality Coordinator at the European Commission’s The Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST).

Ceccanti noted that many countries have already aligned their legal frameworks with European standards but implementation remains a challenge. “The intention exists, but the necessary goals are often not properly monitored,” she said, underlining the need for stronger cooperation between institutions.

Kristaps Petermanis, IPA Project Coordinator at EIGE, highlighted the importance of common standards for monitoring progress. “Many people have heard of the Istanbul Convention, but there is also an important EU Directive that all EU Member States and candidate countries must adopt,” he said.

The stakes are also economic. Kristina Faber, who leads EIGE’s work on measuring gender-based violence, presented findings estimating the total cost of gender-based violence in the EU at €366 billion annually – most of it spent responding to violence, including criminal justice, healthcare, and lost productivity. Less than one percent goes toward prevention. “This shows the need for greater investment,” Faber said.

Advancing gender data across the region

The meeting also served as a space for regional cooperation and exchange. Edi Gusia, Director of the Agency for Gender Equality at the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo¹, stressed the importance of harmonized methodologies.

“What brings us together is the need to understand new methodologies for data collection, particularly sex-disaggregated data, which are essential for designing good public policies and laws based on the real needs of women and men,” Gusia said.

As host country, Albania presented ongoing efforts to strengthen gender statistics and align national systems with EU methodologies.

Denada Seferi, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection of Albania, described the meeting as “a strong and shared commitment to advancing gender equality, preventing violence, and shaping policies that uphold human rights and European standards.”

She highlighted Albania’s recent adoption of a new Law on Gender Equality and a Law on the Prevention and Protection from Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, both making the collection and reporting of sex-disaggregated data a legal obligation across sectors.

Common standards, comparable progress

The indicators introduced by EIGE are designed to measure gender equality and gender-based violence in a standardized way across the region. Using the same definitions and methodologies allows governments to compare progress with EU Member States and identify where action is most needed.

In Albania, efforts to improve gender data are already underway. INSTAT, the national statistics institute, has begun piloting the assessment of administrative data through the National Employment and Skills Agency, using methodology developed by UN Women. Isida Gorçe, gender statistics specialist at INSTAT, described Albania’s first Gender Equality Index, published in 2020, as a major milestone because it made the country’s progress directly comparable with EU Member States.

“In 2027, we plan to publish the second Index using the new EIGE methodology,” Gorçe said. She noted that Albania is the first country in the region piloting administrative data assessment for gender statistics, an approach that could help keep data more current between national surveys.

Challenges ahead

Despite progress, important challenges remain across the region. INSTAT, for instance, currently has only one dedicated gender statistics specialist, while various sectors continue to produce sex-disaggregated data separately.

These capacity gaps are not limited to staffing alone. Irene Ceccanti stressed that advancing gender equality requires stronger coordination and sustained investment. 
“Gender equality cannot remain the responsibility of a single ministry. It requires a whole-of-society approach.”

¹ For UN Women, references to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).