IAEG work to build statistical capacity in countries and to improve data reporting on MDGs

1. Workshop on MDG Monitoring Geneva, 8-11 November 2010 IAEG work to build statistical capacity in countries and to improve data reporting on MDGs Sara Duerto, duertovalero@un.org United Nations Statistics Division

2. IAEG on MDG Indicators • IAEG was created after the adoption of the Millennium Declaration to translate the commitments of UN Member States into Goals, targets and indicators • The Inter-Agency and Expert Group (IAEG) on MDG Indicators includes: • Several UN, international and donor agencies, • Various government agencies and national statistical offices.

3. IAEG on MDG Indicators IAEG is responsible for: • Compiling data and undertaking analysis to monitor progress towards the MDGs at the global and regional levels; • Reporting on status of annual progress through printed reports, progress charts, databases, etc.; • Reviewing and preparing guidelines on methodologies and technical issues related to the indicators; • Helping define priorities and strategies to support countries in data collection, analysis and reporting on MDGs.

4. IAEG on MDG Indicators • ECOSOC Resolution 2006/6 • Member States called upon the UN system to support the strengthening of national statistical capacity • In response to the lack of data and/or capacity to monitor the MDGs • As a result of concerns about the validity of international agencies’ imputed data, and lack of transparency in their methodology • IAEG to help improve the coverage, transparency, and reporting on all MDG indicators through statistical capacity building

5. IAEG on MDG Indicators • To address the concerns raised by the Statistical Commission and the recommendations of the ECOSOC resolution, the IAEG has carried out the following activities: • Development of metadata for global monitoring • Continuous improvement of the content and structure of the metadata and tools available on the mdgs.un.org website • Adoption of the common platform for data exchange, the Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) • Workshops bringing together national and international partners • Training on metadata and compilation of indicators • Production of manual for national monitoring • Agencies have also worked in their specific domains

6. Work of the IAEG on MDG Indicators • NSOs are important members of the IAEG. They attend meetings and provide inputs regarding the relevance of the IAEG’s work to country needs. • The IAEG has: • Facilitated the coordination of technical assistance for statistical capacity building • Reviewed countries' needs and worked towards strengthening official statistics for the production of MDG indicators • Recommended: • The creation and use of national MDG databases that compile all MDG data • Improving coordination within NSS and between countries and international agencies • Improving data dissemination and reporting at the country level • The adoption by international agencies and countries of a common platform for Statistical Data and Metadata Exchanges (SDMX) to facilitate reporting and improve transparency • Developed a Data Structure Definition for SDMX that allows for data exchanges at different levels of aggregation

7. Work of the IAEG on MDG Indicators • New version of the Handbook on MDG indicators • Tailored to country needs, focuses on methods to produce the MDG indicators at the national level, based on existing national sources. • Clarify the differences between methods used by International agencies and those recommended to national experts. • Includes guidelines on how to disaggregate data, links to relevant publications and websites, and information on the new MDG indicators.

8. Work of the UN Statistics Division • Regional workshops on MDG Monitoring • Attended by representatives of NSS and International Agencies • Address data discrepancies (national-international), identifying the causes and contributing to a better understanding, by countries, of the methods used at the international level • Special sessions on sub-national monitoring, administrative data, national databases and coordination of NSS.

9. Work of the UN Statistics Division • Implementation of SDMX • EGM on SDMX took place in October 2009 to explore the feasibility and identify resources needed by countries to implement SDMX - involving experts from NSOs and International agencies • EGM recommended that efforts are addressed to use SDMX at the country level • EGM requested to the IAEG and UNSD: • Facilitation of training and dissemination of guidelines • Implementation of projects in NSOs to define objectives, resources, time frame, staff and experts required.