See Her Presidential Campaign - Where's the Blooming Housing Data?

Across housing, women are the backbone of both communities and workforces, yet the data we rely on often fails to represent their lived experiences. Most existing datasets, from homelessness and health to infrastructure and economic development, are gender-neutral by default. This absence leaves crucial insights unexplored and important voices unheard.

Why Gender-Lensed Data Matters
Take tenant satisfaction: when we apply a gender lens, we reveal new pathways for improvement. A brilliant example came from one housing provider who simply asked women how gas servicing could be less of a burden. The answer? Control over appointment times -simple, effective, and transformative. With one WhatsApp link and a bit of AI magic, the provider boosted satisfaction and efficiency across the board. And it benefited everyone, not just women.

Across the UK, organisations are tackling issues like domestic abuse and homelessness with gender-sensitive solutions. And through collaborative efforts like the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census, we’re finally beginning to uncover the hidden experiences of homeless women, which are too often missed by traditional counting methods.

Seeing Her in the Workplace
The “See Her” campaign also extends to the professional sphere. Our annual WISH survey shows that returning to rigid pre-Covid work models is disproportionately impacting women, particularly those juggling caring responsibilities. As we rethink workplace practices, applying a gender lens to staff experience isn't just kind - it's actually strategic.

A Legacy of Change
I entered the housing sector because I wanted my work to make a difference. That journey, guided by brilliant women and the supportive power of WISH, has shaped everything I do. With the launch of the second “If I Had One WISH” podcast series, we  shone a light on the sector’s most inspiring female leaders, their legacies, and what leadership truly means. For our third series, just released, we are exploring how women across every level and segment of housing are making a real difference and driving these positive changes.

As I settle deeper into my presidential role, I'm committed to ensuring younger women see housing as a sector of opportunity, relevance, and connection, where face-to-face networking still has powerful, life-changing magic. And yes… whispers of international WISH chapters may soon become reality. Canada and Australia, we're looking at you!

The “See Her” campaign is about more than just data. It’s a call to embed gender understanding into how we lead, how we serve, and how we evolve. Because when we truly “See Her,” the whole sector benefits and moves forward.

One of our campaign supporters, Louise Kennison, Owner of Cygnet HR has written a blog, asking the question; Can Women Really Have It All? We’re currently collecting stories, viewpoints and data to feed into the campaign, which we’ll be collating and sharing across the sector to help drive best practice through a gender lensed approach.

If you’d like to take our short survey on gender lensed workplace data to help us gather more insights, we’d love to hear views. If you’d like to support the campaign in any other way, please get in touch!

Crystal Hicks, WISH President