From Spreadsheets to Storytelling with GenderStat: The Digital Engine Behind Gender Equality in Belgium

From hidden data to open insight

Belgium has been collecting gender statistics for years. Yet much of this information remained locked away in reports and hard-to-navigate databases — valuable, but invisible. Finding clear answers was difficult for policymakers, journalists, researchers, or anyone curious about gender equality.

The Institute wanted to change that. Their goal: a central, intuitive website that would bring all gender-related statistics together — making them easy to explore, compare, and download. That ambition became GenderStat, a digital home for gender equality data in Belgium. 

Designing data that speaks human

We started with people, not numbers.
Who visits the platform? What are they looking for? How can we make data approachable, even for those who don’t think of themselves as ​“data people”?

Prototype First, Validate Fast
Together with the IGVM team, we built and tested early prototypes of two key tools — the Data Explorer and the Chart Builder. This helped us fine-tune how users navigate large datasets and how editors manage and visualize data behind the scenes.

A Custom Chart Builder, Made for Clarity
Off-the-shelf chart tools couldn’t meet the Institute’s needs. So, we created a fully custom chart builder — one that transforms structured CSVs into perfectly styled, statistically accurate visualizations in minutes. It even supports intersectional filtering (e.g., by age, region), giving users a more nuanced picture of gender differences.

Smart Technology, Simple Experience
Built on Craft CMS, the platform combines robust data management with engaging storytelling. Each topic pairs interactive charts with long-form articles, helping users connect numbers with real-world context. Throughout the process, we worked closely with the IGVM team — agile, transparent, and always in sync.

From data to decisions that shape equality

GenderStat is now Belgium’s central intelligence hub for gender equality — a living, evolving platform where data becomes dialogue and insight fuels action.

For the first time, policymakers, researchers, journalists, and citizens can explore the country’s gender landscape in one place — not as static numbers, but as interactive, comprehensible stories.

This isn’t just a database. It’s a decision-making tool, designed to inform policies, support equality initiatives, and make gender disparities visible — where they once stayed hidden in spreadsheets and PDF reports.

• From CSV to Clarity: charts built and published in minutes, not hours
• From Gender to Intersectionality: filters reveal how gender interacts with age, education, income, and more
• From Compliance to Accessibility: built to meet the highest legal and technical standards
• From Data to Understanding: interactive storytelling connects statistics to social realities

By bringing transparency and accessibility to national gender data, GenderStat helps turn information into progress — empowering everyone, from ministries to media, to make decisions based on evidence, not assumption.