Francesca Perucci United Nations Statistics Division

1. Forum on African Statistical Development FASDEV II Addis Ababa, 6-10 February 2006 Building Statistical Capacity to Monitor DevelopmentFrancesca PerucciUnited Nations Statistics Division Francesca Perucci United Nations Statistics Division

2. Global monitoring To inform the international political debate To sensitize public opinion on global development issues To help development partners identify priorities To improve coordination and collaboration within the international community National monitoring To raise awareness and help focus national debate on development issues To help set national priorities Both have been instrumental to increase the demand and promote the use of statistics for policy making and monitoring Monitoring the MDGs

3. Monitoring requirements in countries have increased the demand for official statistics National and international reports have increased the visibility of official statistics Monitoring reports are important advocacy tool for strengthening statistical capacity and improving statistics Monitoring requirements have called the attention to shortcomings in the availability of data Monitoring the MDGs and the impact on statistical systems

4. Few countries can produce all necessary data MDG Indicators database 48 indicators 192 countries 1990-2005

5. Availability of data for selected indicators by region LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN AFRICA ASIA CIS Northern SS Africa Eastern South- Eastern South Oceania Western Europe Asia 1. % pop. under $1 per day Some trend Some trend Trend Some trend Some trend Trend No data Trend Some trend Some trend 6. Primary net enrolment ratio Some trend Some trend Trend Some trend Some trend Trend Some trend Some trend Some trend Some trend 11. Share women wage employment Some trend No trend Some trend Some trend Some trend Some trend No trend Some trend Some trend Some trend 13. Under-five mortality rate Trend Trend Trend Trend Trend Trend Trend Trend Trend Trend 16. Maternal mortality ratio No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend 21. Prevalence of Malaria No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend No trend 31. Access to improved sanitation-urban Some trend Some trend No trend Some trend Some trend Some trend No trend Some trend No trend No trend More than 80% of countries in the region Between 50% and 80% of countries in the region Less than 50% of countries in the region

6. A large part of country data are estimates prepared by international agencies Latin America & Caribbean AFRICA ASIA CIS South- Eastern Northern SS Africa Eastern Southern Western Oceania Europe Asia No trend 11. Share women wage employment 73% 64% Asia 47% 51% 37% 35% 37% 26% 26% 29% 34% of available data are ILO estimates AFRICA ASIA CIS Latin America & Caribbean South- Eastern Northern SS Africa Eastern Southern Western Oceania Europe Asia 16. Maternal mortality ratio 100% 92% 87% 63% 64% 78% 60% 45% 33% 0% 57% of available data are WHO estimates

7. Assessment of countries’ capacity to produce the indicators • Need to assess ability of countries to produce data on MDG indicators • Friends of the chair (FOC) group was established at the request of the 36th Statistical Commission • Exercise undertaken by UNSD under the guidance of the FOC • Assessment based on: 1. Available MDG country-level data in the international statistical system Country data → International Agencies→ UNSD 2. Feedbacks from NSOs(ongoing process)

8. How many countries can produce MDG indicators? Countries in Africa with at least 2 data points for any given indicator * Based on data produced by countries

9. How often are the necessary data produced? Countries in Africa with at least 3 data points for any given indicator * Based on data produced by countries

10. Capacity to produce MDG indicators in Africa Child mortality Enrolment in primary school Water and sanitation Women in parliament Most often available At least 2 data points in 80% of the countries Least often available Data available in less than 20% of the countries Youth unemployment TB prevalence and deaths Population in slums

11. Conclusions and implications forcapacity building • Country data in Africa are available for most of the indicators but less frequently than elsewhere • Country data are less recent • Lack of data especially in some crucial areas such as employment

12. Conclusions and implications forcapacity building (continued) • Results of the assessment were presented • at the 8th Meeting of the IAEG on MDG Indicators (Rome, Oct. 2005) • at the Meeting on MDG Indicators of the ECOWAS countries (Cape Verde, Dec. 2005) • Results were circulated to national statistical offices of all member states • Discussion on countries’ capacity to take place at the next Statistical Commission in March 2006

13. Countries’ recommendations at the 8th IAEG on MDG Indicators • Develop a strategic national statistical master plan which should be based on country’s needs rather than be driven by international agencies’ priorities and defined by the NSO together with all the stakeholders in the country • Establish an NSO that is fully independent and with a clear mandate for the collection, processing and dissemination of official statistics supported by a strong political commitment • Seek support from international partners only to cover specific costs in accordance with the plan and balance the national budget- and donors-supported projects • Improve coordination with line ministries producing statistics • Set up career incentives to retain qualified staff • Ensure sustainability, by ensuring that national statistical initiatives are largely covered by national budgets and supported by a strong government commitment

14. Countries’ recommendations at the Meeting on MDG Indicators in ECOWAS • Adopt a National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) • Improve coordination of statistical activities, on the basis of the framework provided by NSDS • Strengthen collaboration among data producers at national level • Strengthen the reporting mechanism between countries and international agencies • Strengthen data analysis capacity of NSO staff • Establish national statistical systems in post conflict situations • Improve civil registration systems as best source of mortality and health statistics • Increase the frequency of Surveys • Create an information network on the MDGs for the ECOWAS countries • Conduct a population and housing census every 10 years

15. The challenge Ensuring that the necessary statistics and indicators be made available in the short term to allow countries to monitor progress and inform the necessary policies Ensuring that indicators be available in the short-term at the international level for global monitoring Developing sustainable statistical systems in countries Building statistical capacity

16. A way forward Strengthen the network of national statisticians in the region and the dialogue across regions Step up the discussion to the political level (from the region to the UN Stat Comm to ECOSOC and GA) Bring the demand for technical and financial assistance to donors within a consistent framework (bilateral and multilateral donors should improve their coordination mechanisms) Building statistical capacity

17. The role of UNSD UNSD works at the request of member states/national statistical offices, through the Statistical Commission, and plays a key role in ensuring that countries priorities are considered in the delivery of financial and technical assistance All areas of work aim at fostering statistical development in all member countries Data compilation and dissemination Development of internationally agreed standards and recommendations, technical guidelines and manuals Direct assistance to countries (regional and sub-regional training, ad hoc missions) Development projects Building statistical capacity

18. The approach Technical cooperation programmes to be demand-driven, responsive to local conditions, nationally controlled and well coordinated Technical assistance to be provided based on countries’ demand and on the priorities identified by countries Building statistical capacity

19. UNSD Activities Building statistical systems structural factors programme factors Population Census Programme Vital statistics from civil registration systems Household surveys Good statistical governance Linked to the Division’s mandate of promoting the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics Knowledge transfer Training in the production of indicators Training in the production of statistics in all areas covered by its regular work programme—economic statistics, social and demographic statistics, trade statistics, environment statistics, classifications, development and MDG indicators and monitoring Building statistical capacity

20. Examples of UNSD Activities in 2004-05 28 training workshops, covering 110 National Statistical Offices Technical advisory missions to 27 countries in the areas of information technology in statistics, statistical organization and management, national accounts and population and housing censuses The regional development account project in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region (The regional development account is a funding mechanism provided by the General Assembly. The various development sectors inside the United Nations compete for these funds by presenting project proposals which have a strong regional capacity building orientation) Building statistical capacity

21. Other important functions of UNSD Continuous dialogue and collaboration with UN-system and other international agencies (throughCCSA, IAEG on MDGs, etc.) Link with political debate/decision making, through ECOSOC Continuous dialogue with national statistical institutions and policy makers Building statistical capacity

22. THANK YOU