Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April 2006 PRINCIPLES GOVERNING INTERNATIONAL STATISTICAL ACTIVITIES – SOME NEXT STEPS By A. Sylvester Young, Bureau of Statistics, ILO Session 3: Collection, management and dissemination of current best methods, minimum standards and best practices

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Background  No global governance & no legal framework for an International Statistical System (ISS)  Impedes development of quality framework for international statistical activities  Heads of statistical agencies recognize importance & so taking some actions

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Which Actions  Created Committee for Coordination of Statistical Activities in 2002  Recognized a set of 10 principles, with illustrations of good practices in 2005  Principles relate to issues of governance, processes and products  Set up Task Teams in 2004 on 4 critical issues

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Task Teams  On common framework for data & metadata exchange  – adopted SDMX as standard in 2006 (in principle)  On development of a quality framework  – Conference conclusions an input  On coordination of technical cooperation  On strengthening technical capacity of their agencies thru’ training of staff

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Institutional prerequisites - internal agency level  P9.G1: single coordinating & representational unit to  (a) ensure internal backing for P&p to be implemented collectively;  (b) promote and coordinate P&p to be implemented internally  Develop guidelines on good practices for organizing international statistical agencies  Peer review system

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Institutional prerequisites - global level  ISS exists thru’ “creative ambiguity”, but need strong yet not prescriptive mechanism for implementing collective P&p, etc.  CCSA: not “accountable” to any higher group; roles & responsibilities of membership not clear; and management system informal

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Accountability of CCSA  UNSC not suitable due limited say on specialized agencies and none on agencies outside the UN family, but voice of NSIs  UNCEB not suitable since Heads of agencies outside UN family not members, but more promising

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Other Governing StructuresECOSOC Heads of non CEB agenciesCEBUNSC CCSA Technical Expert Groups Annex II: Structural links for CCSA – A Proposal

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Structure of CCSA  Membership: statistical producers only as defined by Bruengger (2003)  Management: clear definition of roles of Chairman, the permanent secretariat and membership – Set up Bureau  Technical advisory sub-system

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Immediate reporting  CCSA decision: agencies to review current practices vis-à-vis P&p and disseminate report  UNSC: report re progress in implementation in 2008  Need outline reporting structure or template for use by agencies  Could base on 1st level dimensions of DQAF

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April Conclusions  Guidelines on good practices for organizing an international statistical agency  Mechanism for peer reviews  Review structure, mandate and accountability of CCSA  Establish framework for immediate reporting of current practices relative to P&p based on 1st level dimensions of DQAF

Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations Newport, Wales UK, April THANK YOU