Accurate and reliable statistics are important for any group in a given population for analysing trends and for evolving policies. On many aspects of life which reflect the development of a society, we have poor data or inadequate coverage. The problem is many times compounded for women. This article documents the details of a Unifem project which has made a small beginning in the data collection format for the Census, 1991. It also discusses the main problems that has dogged the census and the many previous efforts made by researchers and data users to draw attention to the problem and the implications of whatever change has taken place.