Statistical Sources on the Web
Here a web resources with statistics on the lives of women. See below this box for additional print materials in our collection.
- Gender Data PortalThe Gender Data Portal is the World Bank Group’s comprehensive source for the latest sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics covering demography, education, health, economic opportunities, public life and decision-making, and agency. The database is updated four times a year (April, July, September, and December).
- WomenWatch"Womenwatch is the central gateway to information and resources on the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women throughout the United Nations system, including the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Secretariat, regional commissions, funds, programmes, specialized agencies, and academic and research institutions." Although not strictly a statistical source, it links to documents, reports and videos from a variety of NGO sources, so it often can lead to useful data.
- UN Women (formerly UNIFEM): Digital LibraryFlagship publications include the annual, "Progress of the World's Women," which is loaded with facts and data based on a different theme every year. This page also lists and links to many other recent publications (example: "Handbook for Legislation on Violence against Women").
- UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund): Gender EqualityThe main publication of UFPA is a "State of the World Population" annual. The theme changes every year, and in some cases, like 2006's A Passage to Hope: Women and International Migration, the theme is about women's issues. Explore the other links on this Gender Equality page to see what else UNFPA has to offer.
- IWPR (Institute for Women's Policy Research)The Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) resource for easily downloadable women-centered data. Data presented here include IWPR's annual state-by-state report card series on women’s progress in the United States as well as data presented in many of IWPR's other reports and fact sheets. There are links here to sources like Economic Status of Women in the States (2006).
- Women in the Labor Force: A Databook (2021)This report presents historical and current labor force and earnings data for women and men from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a national monthly survey of approximately 60,000 households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- U.S. Census Bureau: Families & Living ArrangementsWhile it doesn't separate out women, per se, these particular Census Reports deal with topics like Fertility, Marriage and Divorce, and Families and Households.
- International Labour Organization: Bureau for Gender Equality: Information ResourcesRecent publications include "Women and labour markets in Asia: rebalancing for gender equality: The report is a joint undertaking by the ADB and the ILO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, reflecting the high-level commitment of both organizations to gender equality in the region, as an economic and social investment that will generate enormous dividends for sustainable development in the region."
- U.S. Census Bureau: Newsroom: WomenThe Census creates news releases for the media that summarize recent findings. This search links to releases that specifically address facts about women's lives.
- U.S. Census Bureau: Age and SexThis webpage links to Census news releases and data reports that address matters of population age and gender.
- U.S. Department of Labor: Women's Bureau: Data & StatisticsLinks to statistical publications like "Latest Annual Data" and "Women in the Labor Force."
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: FASTSTATS: Women's HealthWill give a few quick facts and link to PDFs of reports that provide more detail on topic like health status, risk factors, mortality, health insurance coverage and more.
- Population Research Bureau Resource Library: Gender IssuesPRB does an interesting job of providing both analysis and data (original or external links) on a variety of topics related to population studies. One of their subject focuses is Gender Issues. Projects include anything from "Evidence to end Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting" to "Strengthening Evidence-Based Policy to Expand Access to Safe Abortion (SAFE ENGAGE)" Other useful Topics (you can filter on the left) are "Family Planning, Maternal and Reproductive Health" and "Children, Youth and Families." You can also use their Data Center to look for international or U.S. statistics related to broad categories of social variables.
Print and eBook Resources with Statistics on Women
American Women: Who They Are and How They LiveCall Number: REF HQ1421 .A486ISBN: 1933588942Publication Date: 1997-An easy-to-use collection of "demographic data showing the size of the female population, its changing age distribution, rising educational attainment, and evolving racial composition. It also includes details on the characteristics of Asians, the latest labor force projections, up-to-date population projections, a chapter on women’s time use, and a new chapter comparing the attitudes of men and women." Much of the data comes from government information, so pay attention to "Source" notes and consider exploring the appropriate agency webpages for more or updated info.
The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World by Call Number: REF G1046.E1 S4 2009ISBN: 0143114514Publication Date: 2008Statistics illustrated through maps and charts. This updated Atlas provides accessible analysis of recent global data on the key issues facing women today: equality, motherhood, feminism, the culture of beauty, women at work, women in the global economy, changing households, domestic violence, lesbian rights, women in government, and more.
The World's Women by Call Number: Available through U.N.S.D.ISBN: 9211615399Publication Date: 1995+ (Latest 2020)A unique compilation of the latest data documenting progress for women worldwide in six areas: health, human rights and political decision-making, and families. The Report attempts to answer the urgent but complex question of the progress the world's women are making in their lives. The Report stresses that new data is needed on issues unique to women - such as violence against women and maternal health.
The Routledge Historical Atlas of Women in America by Call Number: REF HQ1410 .P68 2000ISBN: 0415921384Publication Date: 2000As the title implies, this Atlas looks at historical themes and not the current scene. It presents general trends and specific items such as life in a tenement, women working overseas in World War I, the production of cosmetics in the 1920s, and new female immigration. In a variety of colorful maps and charts, the book documents milestones in the evolution of the social and political rights of women. Coverage includes the rise of reform movements such as temperance, women's suffrage, and abolition during the 19th century, and contraception, abortion rights, and the Equal Rights Amendment in the 20th.
Women's Figures by ISBN: 9780844772417Publication Date: 2012Many assume that only progressives and liberals analyze the status of women in the U.S. This book, issued by the conservative, corporation-boosting American Enterprise Institute, proves otherwise. Especially interesting (or perhaps disturbing) is the large section attacking "Feminist Organizations" and their "preposterous goal" of across the board gender equity.
The Status of Women in Massachusetts : Politics, Economics, Health, Rights, Demographics by Call Number: REF HQ1438.M4 S73 2002ISBN: 1878428683Publication Date: 2002 with UpdatesLots of information and some data, analyzing how women are doing in the Commonwealth. From the introduction: "As this report demonstrates, Massachusetts women, our organizations, and allies have demanded and achieved much. Yet in 2002, challenged by the state’s most significant budget crisis in decades, we are struggling to prevent loss of that progress in the areas of health care, education, child care, economic security, and support for immigrants and refugees." For 2004 and 2009 updates, see this page.
