BIG DATA is Really a Big Deal

If it's true that you get what you measure, are we measuring the right things?

BIG DATA has become part of our lexicon of new references. As we continue to explore who we are and where we're going, BIG DATA is our companion, our friend, and sometimes our foe. I speak of BIG DATA as if it is a living thing because it is.

The saying goes - and goes - that you get what you measure. I believe that you get what you get until you decide to measure what you want instead. Only then will you be able to effectively alter your trajectory with focus - aiming towards your goals. Whether you measure before or after, gathering and analyzing sufficient data points is how it's done. 

We're Not There Yet

On Monday Melinda Gates, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton hosted Not There Yet: A Data Driven Analysis of Gender Equality. The event highlighted 20 years of initiatives that have resulted in some dramatic gains in Health and Education, but show mixed progress in many other areas such as Economic Empowerment and the impact of Climate Change on the lives of women and girls.

The No Ceilings Full Participation Project brought to the forefront efforts that have been undertaken by the UN Women's Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Four sessions have been previously hosted in:

• Mexico (1975)
• Copenhagen (1980)
• Nairobi (1985)
• Beijing (1995)

Following the great work produced in Beijing, 5-year check points issued progress reports on Beijing+5, Beijing+10, and Beijing+15. We're now at Beijing+20 with much of the work still undone on the Beijing Platform for Action. Promises made by many governments and organizations 20 years ago have been met with slow resolve, even slower action, or not at all.

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A girl born today will be 81 years old before she has the same chance as a man to be CEO of a company ... and she will have to wait until she's 50 to have an equal chance to lead a country

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director

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The data tells the story and provides the blueprint for how we should proceed. So what's all the fuss about data-driven action plans for gender equality? Answer - there's not enough of it. There's not enough data or gender equality. However, we do know enough to move forward forcefully towards a 50-50 planet by 2030. 

Ernst & Young has started an 80-year countdown clock to fast forward gender parity in the workplace. Others will follow their lead and it can be done.

We Need New Data - BIG DATA

Data combined with significant efforts have already made a dramatic difference in Health improvements around the globe. One significant example is that mothers are 42% less likely to die from complications of pregnancy than in 1995. This is a BIG accomplishment.

Additional data on health, education, economics, climate change, peace and security, and many other areas demonstrate that we're moving forward albeit slowly.

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...the Gates Foundation is focused on health because we believe that a productive life begins first and foremost with having good health

Melinda Gates - The Gates Foundation, No Ceilings (2015)

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More data is being gathered and consolidated by UN Women, World Health Organization, The Full Participation Project, and many organizations around the world. In some cases the amount of data is overwhelming. In other cases it's underwhelming. 

Collecting and analyzing BIG DATA on issues affecting women and girls helps to refine the blueprint for progress and will let us know how quickly we need to put our feet on the gas or whether a shift in strategy is required.

During the live streaming of "No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project" I listened intently with my daughter at my side as one story after another demonstrated global challenges and ways that those challenges are being tackled. The highlight for her was seeing and hearing Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai advise the world to "Aim Higher!" on all educational initiatives.

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...guarantee free education for 12 years for every child - every girl and every boy - to end poverty and violence ...to go forward I say "Aim Higher!" and we will reach our goals

Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, No Ceilings (2015)

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We can see in the data that major progress has been made in Primary education. However, there's still a 24% gap for countries providing tuition-free Secondary education and an even wider gap at University levels. Malala challenged World Leaders to ensure that every child gets a solid education.

There is so much more to measure, study, and take action on in education and in other areas.

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Download The Full Participation Report

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...as long as girls and women are valued less, fed less, fed last, overworked, underpaid, not schooled and subjected to violence in and out of their homes - the potential of the human family to create a peaceful, prosperous world will not be realized


Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Beijing (1995)

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Not surprisingly Secretary Clinton's message and the messages from all of the leaders who took the stage echoed the same sentiments each in their own voice, in their own way. It would be a shame for us to analyze these areas in 2030 with similar gaps remaining. 

We can do better and we will. Here's how.

"Aim Higher!" for Gender Parity around the world. We can do this!