Transcript Paris21 Meeting on Implementing the Busan Action Plan for Statistics New York, Saturday 25 February 2012, 09.30 – 12.00, Conference Room.

Paris21 Meeting on Implementing the Busan Action Plan for Statistics
New York, Saturday 25 February 2012, 09.30 – 12.00, Conference Room DC2-2111
A Regional Perspective in implementing the Busan
Action Plan for Statistics in Small Island Developing
States – observations from the Secretariat of the
Pacific Community
Gerald Haberkorn
Manager, Statistics for Development Programme
Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Noumea, New Caledonia
[email protected]
(www.spc.int/sdp)
Busan Action Plan for Statistics
Two general observations:
• Commend those involved in drafting this Plan for a
comprehensive job well done.
• Document could have been even stronger with greater explicit
strategic emphasis on improving traction:
=>
how to address ongoing challenges of getting more
policy- makers and planners to use (be required to use?) a
growing range of available data
.
Busan Action Plan for Statistics
Context – Pacific Island region:
• Substantial statistical improvements over past 15 years:
• data collection (100% census participation in 2000, and 21 of
22 PICTs undertaking a population and housing census in the
2010 round), and growing number of countries undertaking
comprehensive (and expensive) household surveys (DHS,
HIES),
• gradual improvements in data quality and timeliness of
release of statistics,
• greater accessibility to statistics (more user-friendly reports;
easier access on NSO and SPC/PRISM websites).
Busan Action Plan for Statistics
• Making greater use of data by policy-makers and planners on
the other hand, has not kept pace with recent statistical
developments.
• Reasons vary from a lack of institutional/political demands to
do so, to what appears to be still some general discomfort
with numbers.
.
Busan Action Plan for Statistics
Overriding challenge:
• Not just improve statistical literacy as highlighted in BAP
• Need to go one step further: assist in creating a more
statistics-wise culture of “doing business” (key bottlenecks
are not just outdated technologies or a lack of statistical
awareness, but a political desire for/commitment to change)
Busan Action Plan for Statistics
Action 1
• Strengthen/refocus national and regional priorities
emphasizing improving systems that address country-level
development priorities.
• Key focus is on increased in-country capacity.
• Integrate international and domestic data collection activities
Action 1
(i) Relevance to the Region
 All 5 proposed activities represent a near
perfect fit with key strategic components
of Ten Year Pacific Statistics Strategy
(TYPSS), 2011 – 2020.
 Emphasis on “near perfect”: not all
proposed activities 3-5 can be
implemented immediately; staged process
 PSSAP Phase 1 (2011-2014) priorities are
on:
o Development of new Multi-purpose HH
survey (Pacific Living conditions survey)
o Improvements to admin databases (vital
statistics, education, health)
o New initiatives incorporated in TYPSS:
Agriculture/Rural statistics (including
food security), and labor force
(ii) Relevance to Small Island
Developing states
 Most countries’ NSOs
already have, or will have by
2014 a multi-year strategic
plan with corresponding
work program
 6 countries embarking on
NSDS
 Gradual TYPSS roll-out of
activities across countries
Busan Action Plan for Statistics
Action 2
• Implement standards for data preservation, documentation
and dissemination that permit full public access to statistics
Action 2
(i) Relevance to the Region
(ii) Relevance to Small
Island Developing states
 Good fit with specific TYPSS strategic
 Good progress made in
objective
some countries, Work-inprogress in others
 Partnership with Paris21/World Bank APD
programme
 Country buy-in through
 Facilitate dissemination of data
TYPSS endorsement
standards and common survey
methodologies
o Key TYPSS strategic component
(mandated by Pacific Plan)
o Development of new Multi-purpose
Pacific Living conditions survey
o Development of common core set of
census questions
o Development of common Pacific HIES
methodology
Busan Action Plan for Statistics
Action 3
• Develop programs to increase the knowledge and skills
needed to use statistics effectively for planning, analysis,
monitoring and evaluation, thus increasing transparency
and accountability and improve accessibility of statistics at
national and international levels.
Action 3
(i) Relevance to the Region
(ii) Relevance to Small Island
Developing states
Solid fit with TYPPS:
 Some progress being made,
 addresses issue of increasing
with development plans and
statistical literacy and awareness (but new policy initiative showing
like BAP is less explicit on how to get greater statistical foundations
intended data users become
practicing data users)
 emphasizes importance of adequate  Cannot think of one NSO
resourcing of NSOs (human,
head who would disagree
financial), as well as greater
recognition of statistics and
statisticians in policy development
Busan Action Plan for Statistics
Action 4
• Build /retain results monitoring instruments to track
outcomes of all global summits and high level forums
• Rigorous monitoring of global initiatives requires
collaboration between national and international statistical
organizations
• Recognize statistical capacity building, incl TA, and training
Action 4
(i) Relevance to the Region
 Monitoring all global summit/ high level forum
resolution is a huge ask for Pacific Island NSOs:
just two (MDGs, CEDAW) entail 200+ indicators.
 Welcome emphasis/commitment to develop
implementation plan (TA, training, financing);
cautious about implementability given HR
constraints of most NSOs.
 TYPSS: inclusion of all pop-based MDG and some
other global indicators in SPC National Minimum
Development Indicator database (challenge to
include too many other international
commitment/indicators – would undermine
concept of “minimum”)
 TYPSS focus on gender statistics, and other
examples of “new” global commitments (e.g.
Agricultural/Rural statistics)
(ii) Relevance to Small Island
Developing states
 Cannot think of NSO heads who
would disagree
 NSOs interested to see tangible
commitments to “implementation
plan”, yet most would struggle to
handle ever growing global
monitoring demands.
 Current under review/ validation
by countries
Busan Action Plan for Statistics
Action 5
• Ensure financing for statistical information is robust and
that funding instruments and approaches reflect new
modalities and actors in development finance
Action 5
(i) Relevance to the Region
 Already happening in our region:
Multi-year funding commitments (20112014) by principal partner, AusAID;
 Key TYPSS strategic focus on capacity
building: Development of long-term CB
strategy to kick off later this year based
on NSO skills audit (in progress)
 Monitoring TYPSS implementation: role
of PSSC (6 NSO, 4 FTPs)
 Concern about parallel emergence of
several “new” critical global initiatives
(competing for already committed and
perhaps insufficient new resources).
(ii) Relevance to Small
Island Developing states
 A growing number of
countries making statistics
part of their general ODA
negotiations with partners.
 AusAID setting trend:
bilateral partnerships for
development (multiyear/multi-sector
programs)
BAP Implementation – key criteria
Criteria to be followed in
BSA implementation
(i) Relevance to the Region/
(ii) Relevance to Small Island Developing states
Broad international
support exist, identified
lead agency to support
in-country
implementation
 Strong regional political support – Pacific Plan 2006
In-country capacity
development is primary
focus
 Is one of two foci.
 Regional capacity development on equal footing :
addresses special SIDS need (employ/deploy national capacity for
(endorsed by Heads of Government of all 15 PIC, plus Aus and NZ)
 TYPSS – SPC coordinating agency
 PSSC provides governance oversight
assignment in PIC NSOs lacking capacity in specific sectors)
Outcomes are
identifiable, monitorable,
time-bound
Implementation is
“bureaucracy-light” and
will rely on existing
partnership, agencies.
Institutions
 TYPSS M&E framework
 NSDS
 NSO strategic plans / multi-year work programs
 TYPSS
 SPC coordination
 PSSC oversight
BAP Implementation – remaining grey area
Financial support
for statistics will
come primarily
from domestic
revenues, but
donor support
remains essential.
Regional perspective
 Fully dependent on external
resources (nature of our
existence)
 Impossible for us to address
every new global initiative
without additional resources
(human. budget)
Country perspective
 Impossible for
most countries
 Would be very
hard pressed to
handle new/
additional global
initiatives