Enhanced Collection of Relevant Data and Statistics Relating to Women

This March 4, 2011 memorandum directs federal agencies to identify and fill gaps in data collection about women across areas including families and income, health, employment, education, and violence and crime. It specifically encourages the National Center for Health Statistics to expedite adoption of improved maternal mortality data standards, the SEC Chair to collect information on women in corporate governance positions, and the Corporation for National and Community Service to include women's public service statistics in civic engagement measurement.

Federal Register Open PDF 76 FR 12823

Key directives

Heads of executive departments and agencies to identify and seek to fill gaps in statistics and improve survey methodology relating to women
NCHS encouraged to work with states to expedite adoption of 2003 revised death certificate standards for maternal mortality data and transition to electronic reporting
SEC Chair encouraged to seek to collect information on presence of women in corporate governance positions
Corporation for National and Community Service encouraged to include statistics about women in public service in civic engagement measurement work

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Memorandum issuance
Publication in Federal Register directed

Near term (90d)

Agencies to begin identifying data gaps within existing collections

Long term

Potential improvements in survey methodology
Completion of state adoption of revised death certificate standards for maternal mortality data
Enhanced data on women in corporate leadership and public service

Risks & tensions

All directives qualified by 'where possible within existing collections' and 'in light of budgetary constraints', limiting enforceability
No binding deadlines or enforcement mechanisms; language is encouraging rather than mandating ('I encourage', 'I request')
Dependent on state cooperation for maternal mortality data standard adoption
Subject to availability of appropriations clause may limit implementation
SEC data collection on corporate governance may face industry resistance