The Mexican care map. A spatial tool for bringing gender statistics to citizens and local officials

Abstract

The production of gender statistics has expanded in scope, conceptual precision, and range of data sources. Geospatial analysis and the use of administrative records are key to this growth, enabling the construction of gender-sensitive indicators and the development of new tools to bring data closer to citizens and sub-national governments. This paper presents the making of the Care Map of Mexico, a platform that allows citizens to locate care services for infants, persons with disabilities, and older adults, while providing indicators of the supply and demand of care services and adjacent urban infrastructure. We claim that care maps are a new generation of toolboxes to produce gender statistics. It demonstrates that spatially integrated data provide a view of the inequalities in the geographies of care, such as the concentration of provision, disparities in the coverage and types of care, and their accessibility. A Care Map shows the potential of open data for citizens and easy-access indicators for local officials to design more effective and evidence-based public policies.