National Statistical System: Coordination United Nations Statistics Division

1. NationalStatistical System: CoordinationUnited Nations Statistics Division Workshop on MDG Monitoring Kampala, Uganda 5-8 May 2008

2. Contents • Fundamental Principle of Official Statistics - coordination • Why coordination is useful • Why coordination is difficult • Who should lead the coordination in NSS? • Coordination tools • Survey results on national coordination in African countries

3. The Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics (FPOS) The FPOS is an international document that sets out the role of official statistics, as well as provide some general guidelines for the functioning of statistical systems.

4. FPOS: Principle 8 “Coordination among statistical agencies within countries is essential to achieve consistency and efficiency in the statistical system.”

5. Coordination is essential to … • Official statistics are broad in scope and are produced by many different government agencies • facilitate the integration of data from different sources • avoid duplication of work • minimize respondents’ reporting burden • participation in international initiatives

6. Coordination is essential to … (cont’d) • improve the design of data collection instruments and introduce new analytical products • promote comparable data in different fields • FOC: Lack of coordination btwn NSO & line ministries affects accuracy of data on MDG indicators db – coordination needed to avoid discrepancies in data available at the national level vs data in international series

7. Coordination is difficult, because … • in general: No-one likes to be coordinated • there are areas with a high degree of specialization • Statistics is compiled on admin. records • Sharing information may be prevented by law

8. Coordination is difficult, because …(cont’d) • Nobody else than the NSO will feel responsible for the coherence of the statistical system as a whole • Ideally, official statistics should be perceived by users as a brand name & NSO should set the example in this respect, but credibility is dependent on institutions and therefore difficult to spread to other agencies

9. Who should lead the NSS? • the NSO or some other coordinating body will need to take the lead in the co-ordination of statistical activities. • the NSO has important statistical leadership responsibilities. • the bulk of the statistical expertise exists in the NSOs, and • users seek cohesion across all statistics, irrespective of the source.

10. Who should lead the NSS? IAEG: Improving reporting mechanisms from NSS to int’l agencies • One of the problems identified relates to the decentralization, in many countries, of existing reporting mechanisms, with each producer (in line ministries) communicating directly with its own counterpart in international agencies. • Recom IAEG - identify a focal point, inside the NSS, for the coordination of official stat. – NSO or a statistical board or committee composed of all statistical stakeholders, with NSO as member & secretariat FOC - CN3/2007/13 – para 17- 18 -P5/6

11. Role of NSOs to facilitate a sound NSS • preparation and monitoring of statistical programmes, in regular dialogue with other producers (and users) • makingstatistical classifications, frameworks and definitions available for use by all providers of statistics • disseminating manuals of good practice and providing training programs to support them

12. Role of NSOs to facilitate a sound NSS(cont’d) • developing agreed protocols for the NSS • developing metadata standards for describing collections, particularly the quality of statistics derived from these collections • developing directories of statistical sources.

13. Coordination tools … • There should be some guidelines for coordination activities within NSS • Co-ordination requirements in some countries are specified in statistics act. • Active management of the NSS through development of all professional statistical staff and the sharing of software, data, registers etc.

14. Coordination tools …  (cont’d) • • Statistical registers and sampling frames for surveys centralized for the NSS, if possible. • Standards have to be discussed with other producers before they are made binding • Placement and exchange of staff

15. Useful points for coordination • Other producers should perceive the coordination role of the NSO as providing value added for them, and not as intrusion • Clear assignments of responsibilities and division of work in the statistical programme(s) to avoid conflicts • Fundamental Principles apply to all producers, and the NSO should advise and monitor other producers in this matter

16. Review of the implementation of the FPOS on coordination In a survey by UNSD in 2003, the coordination principle was reported to be the most difficult to implement (self-assessment by countries)

17. Africa: Are there organizational arrangements to coordinate data collection for statistics at the national level? • ≥ 85% said YES • Coordination is implemented through: • - National statistical legislation; • - annual or multi-annual plan for data collection

18. Profile of legislations on coordination in SADC Countries Angola • 1996 Basic Law on NSS; Coordinator of NSS – National Statistics Council Botswana • 1967 Statistical Act – focuses on NSO. No specific mention of NSS DR Congo • Multi-annual work programme of 2005-2009 mentions coordination of statistical activities

19. Profile of legislations on coordination in SADC Countries … cont’d Lesotho • Statistics Act of 2001 establishes Nat Stat Council, with one of its functions being ensuring coordination between producers and users • NBS promotes coordination • NSDS, which will ensure strong NSS, is being developed Madagascar • 1967 Statistical Act mentions development and coordination of official statistics • Decree of 1989 – created a Coordination Com. for stat activities Malawi • 1967 Statistical Act –NSO coordinating role in the NSS • NSS Development Plan underway

20. Profile of legislations on coordination in SADC Countries … cont’d Mauritius • created stat units in gov’t ministries • implementing NSDS to reform NSS • NSO coordinator of NSS Mozambique • Presidential decree of 1996: NSO (INE) is the central executive body of the NSS • INE responsible for official statistics

21. Profile of legislations on coordination in SADC Countries … cont’d Namibia • NSO responsible for official stat • NPC Stat advisory committee South Africa • - Statistics Act of 1999 specifies coordination between SSA and other organs of State that produce official or other statistics Tanzania • NBS only agency entrusted to provide official statistics to the Government • Statistics Ordinance of 1961 (Dec 2001) gives SSA coordinating statistical activities in the country. Uganda

22. 2008 Survey results • Total number of replies: 14 • Respondingcountries:

23. Survey results - National coordination

24. Survey results - National coordination

25. Survey results - problems with coordination of NSS – 3 countries • absence of or inadequate statistical units in line ministries; • multiple producers of statistics with weak coordination and harmonization mechanism; • legislation not operational • little interaction between producers and users of statistics • lack of national statistical plan for NSS

26. For discussion: • How does your office coordinate? • What works? Why? • What does not work? Why?

27. Thank you