Data for managing development

1
Data for managing development

• Identifying gaps and setting priorities

African Centre for Statistics
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Statistics are key for scientific decision-making
(1)

• Part 1
• The importance of statistics in everyday life in
  a democratic society

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Statistics are key for scientific decision-making
(1)

• Statistics are about measuring various real-world
  phenomena and translating the observations into
  numbers.
• As a measurement tool for socio-economic
  phenomena, statistics are indispensable for
  planning and result-based management.
• There are used in economic planning, business
  management, marketing, industry process control,
  and in various social sciences.

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Statistics are key for scientific decision-making
(2)

• Statistics is an art and also a science of
  information gathering and decision making in an
  environment with uncertainty.
• Decisions based on sound statistics have been
  scientifically proved to be more likely to lead
  to the desirable outcomes.

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The importance of statistics has been recognized
at the highest level (1)

• Statistics permeate modern life. They are the
  basis for many governmental, business and
  community decisions. They provide information and
  insight about the trends and forces that affect
  our lives. Collected in surveys and censuses,
  statistics affect the planning of schools,
  hospitals, roads and much else.
• United Nations Secretary General message
  on World Statistics Day 2010

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The importance of statistics has been recognized
at the highest level (2)

• The effectiveness of national planning systems
  hinges largely on the quality and availability of
  data. Data informs the setting of priorities and
  facilitates the tracking of performance.
• Dr. Carlos Lopes, UN Under
  Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the
  Economic Commission for Africa

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The importance of statistics in a democratic
society (1)

• Reliable and available statistics can foster
  awareness and knowledge on a countrys social,
  demographic, economic and environmental
  conditions.
• Statistics can provide the evidence for people
  in all spheres of society to make their case, to
  take decisions and to design policies.
• Timely and reliable statistics can help
  governments make policy decisions which have a
  positive impact on peoples life.
• ()Statistics Denmark (2009) - The
  Importance of Reliable and Available
  Information for Development.

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The importance of statistics in a democratic
society (2)

• Easy accessible statistics can help citizens
  hold their government accountable.
• Independent and comparable statistics can help
  stimulate the interest of the private sector
  investing in developing countries.
• Comparable statistics are needed to measure
  progress towards the MDGs.
• ()Statistics Denmark (2009) - The
  Importance of Reliable and Available
  Information for Development.

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Statistics are key for scientific decision-making
(1)

• Part 2
• International frameworks and recommendations for
  improving statistics for better development
  management
• Historical perspectives

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The International Conference on Financing for
Development (2002)

• The International Conference on Financing for
  Development was held from 18-22 March 2002 in
  Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
• The conference called for
• Improved policies and stronger institutions in
  developing countries
• Increase in the amount of the aid and improvement
  of its use call for better result-based
  management

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The Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics (2004)

• Recommended set of actions addressing national
  needs
• 1. Mainstream strategic planning of statistics
• 2. Prepare for the 2010 population census round
• 3. Increase investment in statistics
• Recommended also set of action for international
  community
• 4. Set up an International Household Survey
  Network
• 5. Improve MDG monitoring
• 6. Improve international accountability in
  statistics

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The Busan Action Plan for Statistics (2012)

• Strengthen NSDS
• Implement standards for data documentation and
  public access
• Develop programs to increase knowledge and skills
  needed to use statistics effectively
• Monitor outcomes of all global summits
• Ensure financing is robust and funding mechanisms
  responsive.

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Some frameworks developed by pan African
institutions

• The Reference Regional framework for Statistical
  Capacity Development in Africa (RRSF).
• The Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics
  in Africa (SHaSA).
• The African Charter on Statistics.

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Statistics are key for scientific decision-making
(1)

• Part 3
• identifying gaps and setting priorities for the
  development of national statistical systems

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Identifying gaps and setting priorities at
national level NSDS as a strategic planning tool

• The approach recommended by the international
  community is the design and implementation of a
  National Strategy for the Development of
  Statistics (NSDS).
• RRSF is a reference framework for the development
  of NSDSs.

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Identifying gaps and setting priorities at
national level the RRSF/NSDS approach (1)

• NSDS should be demand focused and integrated
  within national development processes
• NSDS recommends assessing all statistical sectors
  and users needs

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Identifying gaps and setting priorities at
national level the RRSF/NSDS approach (2)

• Assessing the national statistical system
• Collecting and analyzing existing documentation
• Identifying user needs and data gaps
• Assessing the quality of statistics
• Taking stock of existing capacity
• Reviewing the legal and institutional framework
• Conduction a SWOT analysis of the system

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Example of tool for identifying gaps
Users-Producers workshops
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Setting priorities in the RRSF/NSDS approach

• NSDS is meant to give the national statistical
  system a vision and strategic plan.
• The steps recommended after identifying the gaps
  in the national statistical system are
• Define a mission and a vision
• Reach an agreement on expected results
• Set priorities and strategies

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Identifying gaps and setting priorities at
sub-regional and regional levels Institutional
framework

• Several sub-regional, regional and international
  organizations are active in statistical
  development on the continent African Union
  Commission, African Development Bank, AFRISTAT,
  Economic Commission for Africa, Paris21, Regional
  Economic Communities, etc.

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Identifying gaps and setting priorities at
sub-regional and regional levels The
Statistical Commission for Africa

• The Conference of African Ministers of Finance,
  Planning and Economic Development held in Addis
  Ababa in April 2007 endorsed the creation of the
  subsidiary body in charge of statistics the
  Statistical Commission for Africa
  (StatCom-Africa), as the apex entity in
  statistical development on the continent.

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Identifying gaps and setting priorities at
sub-regional and regional levels StatCom-Africa
working groups

• Data Management
• Development Indicators
• Gender Statistics
• Informal Sector
• National Accounts
• Environment Statistics
• Statistical Harmonization
• Statistical Training

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ACS activities in identifying gaps and setting
priorities for national statistical systems (1)

• ACS mandate To strengthen the availability and
  utilization of quality statistical information
  for evidence-based policy formulation and
  tracking progress towards the achievement of
  national and international development targets,
  including the Millennium Development Goals in
  Africa, within the framework of the Reference
  Regional Strategic Framework for Statistical
  Capacity-Building in Africa in support of African
  integration processes.

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ACS activities in identifying gaps and setting
priorities for national statistical systems (2)

• ACS priorities
• Advocate for statistical development in African
  National Statistical Systems
• Build a data hub for African socio-economic data
• Support the implementation of 2008 SNA
• Support statistical training programmes
• Advocate for Population and Housing Censuses
• Implement Africa CRVS programme

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Identified gaps and challenges in African
National Statistical Systems(1)

• Domestic under funding
• Conflicting donor priorities
• Limited institutional capacity
• Low demand for quality statistics

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Identified gaps and challenges in African
National Statistical Systems(2)

• Data availability problems
• Data comparability problems
• Inconsistency between national and international
  data
• Insufficiencies in data periodicity and timeliness

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Some ECA publications for identifying gaps and
challenges in African National Statistical
Systems(1)
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Some ECA publications for identifying gaps and
challenges in African National Statistical
Systems(2)
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Some ECA publications for identifying gaps and
challenges in African National Statistical
Systems(3)
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• Thank you!