Gender statistics are indispensable inputs of planners, decision - makers and implementors in their formulation and implementation of programs and projects for the benefit of women, and in the monitoring of their status. They serve as indicators of women's involvement in all socio-economic endeavors either as beneficiaries or as decision-makers.

The generation of gender statistics is in support of the region's 1999-2004 Regional Development Plan that considered Gender and Dvelopment (GAD) as one of the major concerns of the region. Specifically, Chapter 2 of the Plan, which deals with Human resource Development, identified the increased participation and recognition of women's role in development as one of the cross-sectoral policies and strategies.

The preparation of the handbook is an offshoot of GAD initiatives at the national level such as  the project on Improving Gender Statistics of the PSA and the United Nations economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific which produced the very first Women and Men in the Philippines Statistical Handbook with funding assistance from the United Nations Development Fund for Women.  

This handbook is the PSA's contribution to the efforts of the region for the institutionalization of GAD. The handbook will serve as instrument for data assessment and advocacy. The data producers will use it as basis in their data collection activities and by the PSA in its coordination and policy formulation on GAD statisitcs. As the central repository of data produced by the statistical system, the NSCB will continue with the compilation of gender statistics for its databases and publications.

The handbook contains gender and related statistics under the following sectors which have also been identified as areas of concerns for women in the Cordillera namely:

1) Population and Household
2) Labor and Employment
3) Agriculture
4)Education
5)Vital, Health and Family Planning
6) Social Welfare and Development
7)Public Life
8)Migration
9)Public Order, Safety and Justice
10)Violence against Women

The chapters included in the handbook were patterned after the 1st and 2nd editions of the handbook published by the NSCB in 2000 and 2001, respectivily.

Each Cahapter contains data presented in either table and/or graph. The handbook also includes Technical Notes that contain defenitions of technical tersm used. The list of Philippine Laws in Support of Women's Right and Welface is also included as an annex to this publication.