# Gender Data 4 Girls?: A Postcolonial Feminist Participatory Study in Bangladesh

**Authors:** Isobel Talks  
**arXiv:** [2108.10089](https://arxiv.org/abs/2108.10089)  
**Date:** 2021-08-23  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2108.10089v1/

## Key points

- The paper discusses the use of postcolonial feminist theory to critically investigate gender data initiatives for development policy and practice.
- Mainstream development institutions have invested heavily in these initiatives, but there is a lack of critical empirical and theoretical investigations into their effectiveness.
- Findings from a participatory action research project with young women involved in a gender data for development project in Bangladesh known as 'DataGirls' are presented.
- The 'DataGirls' were recruited and trained to become smartphone-based digital data collectors, collecting data on three different topics for five other multinational NGOs engaged in work with girls in Bangladesh.
- Participatory approaches can address postcolonial feminist criticisms of (data for) development by ensuring that gender data is enacted by and for majority world women rather than Western development institutions.
- By involving local communities in gathering and sharing gender-related data, these initiatives can be more effective at addressing gender inequality issues specific to those communities.
- This study highlights how participatory research can enable participants rather than researchers to take the lead while addressing postcolonial feminist concerns about development projects targeting women in majority world countries.

## Summary

The paper discusses the use of postcolonial feminist theory to critically investigate gender data initiatives for development policy and practice. Mainstream development institutions have invested heavily in these initiatives, but there is a lack of critical empirical and theoretical investigations into their effectiveness. This study presents findings from a participatory action research project with young women involved in a gender data for development project in Bangladesh known as 'DataGirls'. The project was an international government-funded intervention designed by a UK-based multinational NGO and delivered in partnership with an implementing Bangladeshi NGO. The 'DataGirls' were recruited and trained to become smartphone-based digital data collectors, collecting data on three different topics for five other multinational NGOs engaged in work with girls in Bangladesh. They were paid for their work and awarded a Market Research Society qualification in digital research. However, they had concerns that the data was being extracted from their communities representing external NGOs' priorities more than their own. Through collaborating to develop and deliver community events on child marriage with the 'DataGirls', this research demonstrates that participatory approaches can address postcolonial feminist criticisms of (data for) development by ensuring that gender data is enacted by and for majority world women rather than Western development institutions. The 'DataGirls' wanted the findings of the data returned to them but also felt it was important for the wider community to have access so they too could be aware of it. This study highlights how participatory research can enable participants rather than researchers to take the lead while addressing postcolonial feminist concerns about development projects targeting women in majority world countries. By involving local communities in gathering and sharing gender-related data, these initiatives can be more effective at addressing gender inequality issues specific to those communities. Overall, this paper contributes to ongoing discussions about how best to collect and use gender-related data for development purposes while taking into account perspectives and priorities of those most affected by gender inequality.