1 Metagora: Current Progress and the Way Forward PARIS21 Steering Committee Paris, 13 November 2007

2 A WIDESPREAD NEED FOR EVIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENT EMERGING WORLDWIDE Huge demand for robust data and indicators Many initiatives in different regions of the world were identified through a global survey and are being documented in the Metagora inventory, available on-line in: Global initiatives to build indicators (WBI, UN-HCHR, etc.) Regional initiatives to set-up evidence-based monitoring of democracy and governance National and local initiatives to measure specific human rights and democratic governance issues.

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4 CAN HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE BE MEASURED ? By whom? With which methods? Under which conditions? For which purposes?

5 through several pilot national experiences carried out in different regions of the world in an interactive fashion. These pilot experiences were willingly selected to address sensitive issues in real difficult environments and in different political, social and cultural contexts. METAGORA FORMULATES A RESPONSE

6 A Decentralized Laboratory Content

7 METHOD OF WORK A bottom-up approach consisting of: identifying with stakeholders national key issues for which evidence-based assessment could be policy relevant; applying statistical methods adapted to the particular context; assessing these methods for their capacity to provide policy-relevant results; providing stakeholders with a shared knowledge on the policy issues at stake; contributing to draw global lessons from the local pilot experiences.

8 RESPONDING TO BASIC QUESTIONS Can multidimensional human rights and democratic governance issues be measured through surveys? Will people respond to sensitive questions? Will the gathered information be statistically significant and politically relevant? Can official statistical agencies be involved? How to build rights-based indicators?

9 LESSON 1 Measuring human rights and democratic governance is technically feasible and politically relevant. Sensitive data on human rights, democracy and governance can be collected and analysed using statistical tools.

10 Example: measuring irregularities, abuse of power and ill- treatment in Mexico City (Federal District) Persons without abuse 47 % Persons with contact 24 % Persons with abuse 53 % Persons with non- physical abuse 93 % Persons with physical ill-treatment 7 % Incidence of contact with public security and procurement of justice authorities Incidence of abuse Type of abuse Target population: persons aged 15 or more living in the Federal District (6,400,000 persons) Reference period: events occurred between November 2003 and October 2004 Measuring method: random sample household survey, conducted through face-to-face interviews. Persons without contact 76 %

11 Example: Non-physical abuse in contacts with law enforcement authorities (Survey results correspond to 2,300,000 contacts experienced by 1,520,000 persons)

12 LESSON 2 On the basis of this information, indicators can be produced that are relevant and useful for political decision and action.

13 Example: incidence of corruption within public agencies in Peru

14 Example: levels of corruption and civil servants’ wages in Antananarivo, Madagascar

15 LESSON 4 Official Statistical Agencies can be efficiently involved in evidence-based assessment of human rights and democratic governance: they can conduct surveys and produce relevant information, OR they can provide advice and technical support to HRIs, governmental bodies and SCOs, OR they can develop monitoring tools and mechanisms in collaboration and interaction with the civil society.

16 Example: comparing expectations for and respect of democratic principles in French speaking Africa

17 Example: how important is democracy for people in Ecuador?

18 Example: measuring dimensions of democracy: are they fundamental? Are they respected?

19 VALUE ADDED BY OFFICIAL STATISTICS Data quality Robustness of tools Professional standards Analytical potential Time series Inter-relational indicators

20 TWO MAIN CRITERIA FOR DECIDING ON INVOLVING OR NOT OFFICIAL STATISTICS LEGITIMACY CAPACITY Measuring human rights and/or democratic governance MUST NOT endanger the development of the national statistical system.

21 COMPARING OFFICIAL STATISTICS WITH EXPERTS’ VIEWS Appended Module to Regular Household Surveys conducted by National Statistical Offices in French Speaking Africa (35,600 persons interviewed; 4,500 for each capital city in average);* Expert panel survey (“Mirror survey”) conducted by DIAL-France (246 persons surveyed; 30 experts for each country in average). * In Madagascar, results are drawn from the 2003 survey.

22 How far can we trust experts’ opinion ?

23 How far can we trust experts’ opinion ?

24 ASSESSING ACHIEVEMENTS AND DRAWING LESSONS An independent panel of senior experts is monitoring the process and assessing the outcomes of the Metagora pilot experiences. Experiences, problems encountered and lessons learned were documented in the form of on-line training materials aimed at facilitating the replication and extension of the pilot experiences in other countries and other contexts.

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26 METAGORA II (2007 – 2010) : building on the lessons of the pilot phase Consolidating the working methods Replicating and extending the pilot experiences Enhancing the policy impact of the activities Further enriching the methodology and tool box Extending operations to developed countries Handing over the lessons and tools to the international community

27 Warm Thanks for Your Attention !