Transcript Main Title

Lessons Learned from MDG Monitoring
for Post 2015: A Statistical Perspective
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Content

What we have learnt since 2000?
 Strengths and shortcomings of the current MDG
framework
 Criteria for setting targets
 Criteria for indicator selection
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Learning from the experiences since 2000
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) framework
 brought
global attention to some of the most pressing
development challenges,
 helped to galvanize development efforts,
 helped to implement successful targeted interventions,
 improved statistical methodologies and information
systems,
 increased attention to the need for strengthening
statistical capacity at both national and international levels.
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• Strengths
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1. Statistics 4 monitoring & decision making
- inspirational vision
- a set of concrete and time-bound goals
- targets that could be monitored
- statistically robust indicators
The framework reinforced the importance of robust and
reliable statistics for development policy decision making
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2. Statistical capacity & data availability

Attention to strengthen statistical capacity

Partnership btw national & international statistical systems
 Coordination within countries for better reporting at the national
and sub-national level
 Data availability & quality
 Development of statistical methodologies
 Promotion of internationally agreed statistical standards
 Identification and explanation of differences btw national &
international MDG data series
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• Shortcomings
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Weaknesses from statistical and policy perspectives
• “top-down” initiative
• inconsistencies btw goals, targets and indicators
• Some targets have clear numerical yardstick while others
are vague
• targets were too ambitious or poorly specified
• Global targets were incorrectly interpreted as national
• Baseline year set too far away from adoption of framework
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• Framework does not adequately address inequality issues
Criteria for setting targets
• Clearly connected with goals
• Expressed clearly to understand
• Consistent and coherent with existing
targets or commitments in other
international frameworks and agreements.
• Absolute and relative changes measured
to complete picture of performance.
• Quantifiable and clearly time-bound.
• Realistically set – ambitious but
achievable
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• A balance btw “bottom-up approach” & “topdown approaches”
• Flexibility and guidance for countries to
define and set up their own targets
• time-span for the new development
framework should be 10-15 years
• intermediate targets should be considered.
• National statistical capacities, data quality &
availability explicitly incorporated into the
new development framework
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Principles and Criteria for Indicator Selection
Principles
• Indicators should flow naturally from goals/targets
• Relevant to a sound and relevant monitoring
system for the new development framework.
• The national statistical development strategies
should govern the work on indicators
• The cost-benefit of any centralized collection of
indicators needs to be carefully considered.
Criteria
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Relevance
Methodological soundness
Measurability
Understandability
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Other Considerations
Characteristics
(1) Coherence
(2) Be limited in number
Continuity and change.
Continuity with the current set of MDG indicators is
preferable where the indicators have worked
well and are still relevant.
Changes are needed when some concepts are no
longer sufficient/relevant and new areas are
included in the framework.
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• Thank you
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