Inventory on International Statistical Standards, ISS INEGI-Mexico 15th Meeting of the CCSA February 22, 2010

Objectives: To compile a Database of International Statistics Standards organized by type of standard: a) Concepts and Definitionsd) Data Sources b) Classificationse) Indicators c) Methods and Procedures To use a metadata model to organize the ISS and present the information in a unified way. To build a web-portal to facilitate the access to the different sources of information that contains ISS. The Inventory

Considerations: Compilation of ISS is still in progress. ISS are continuously developed and updated by international organizations. The Database does not contain all the ISS, nor always have the latest version. ISS imbedded in the Inventory´s Database should not be taken as official neither by the international organizations nor by INEGI. The internet links to the information source or documents, included in the Database, could not be working correctly due to changes in the web sites. ISS were originally translated into Spanish and updated continuously as possible. The English version corresponds to the 2008 inventory. For this reason, the information available in Spanish and English might be slightly different. The Inventory

International Statistical Standards and the Harmonization of National Statistics Compliance with international standards is an important tool to harmonize and strengthen the National Statistical System in Mexico. Statistical harmonization presents a number of challenges, including how to conceptualize, measure and analyze reality. Conceptual: - Which definitions are applied. - Which conceptual frames are used. - Which classifications are used for aggregating data. Analytical: - Which statistical methods are used. - Which indicators are derived. Methodological: - The way in which variables are measured. - The intervals over which they are collected. - The populations they cover. - The treatment accorded to missing data. Legal Framework: - The Mexican law considers the use of standards and international recommendations.

The Legal Framework The National System of Statistical and Geographical Information Law (SNIEG, 2008) is an instrument that organizes the “National System” to ensure that: The “Information of National Interest” satisfies the policy needs of the economic and social development of the country; The information is comparable over time and space; The statistical and geographic information processes are in line with international standards, so as to allow for international comparability. Under this new legal framework, international standards and recommendations have taken on special significance for national statistics. International standards need to be analyzed and adapted to the national context, in such a way that regional and international data comparability becomes possible.

Statistical Standards Statistical standards are at the core of the harmonization processes International organizations recommend the use of international norms and common practices to foster coherence among national statistical systems. The development of the family of international standards amounts to the development of a “common language” which allows for meaningful international comparisons. Köhl, M. et al Harmonisation and Standardisation in Multi-national Environmental Statistics – Mission Impossible ?

Communicating Statistical Standards Due to the large number of statistical subject matter areas, there are a number of different international actors involved in developing standards and recommendations. Consequently, they are highly disperse in a great variety of sources: Methodological publications; Legal documents; Glossaries (in documents, and on-line glossaries); On-line databases; Internet sites: text information in web-pages.

INEGI’s Statistical Standards Inventory: The International Statistical Standards Inventory is a system that compiles the international statistical standards, on the themes and subthemes, which constitute the Information of National Interest, under a metadata model. Its objectives are: compile standards recommended by the main international organizations in one database, systematized by types of standard and by statistical or geographical themes and subthemes of national interest; provide basic information about each standard: objective, the international organization that recommends it, its version, the description of the standard, and to facilitate its consultation and access to the original information sources or documents. making clear the network of international organizations involved in the development and dissemination of international statistical standards.

Metadata model ElementDescription Name of the standard Original name of the dealing reference or standard. Acronym of the standard (when applicable). Acronym of the International Organization that publishes the standard and year of publication. Themes & subthemes Statistical topics. Classification of themes and subthemes according to the Law on the National System of Statistical and Geographical Information of Mexico. International OrganizationInternational Organization or National Offices, principal responsible of publishing the standard. Source Information source from which the standard is obtained. Name of the international organization that publishes the standard, the name of the document and the Internet link (URL). Contributor(s) International Organizations, National Offices, Working Groups, etc. which participated in the development of the standard. Type of standard Categories: (a) Concepts and definitions. (b) Classifications. (c) Methodologies and procedures. (d) Data Sources (e) Indicators. VersionYear of publication of the source that contains the standard. Previous versionYear of publication of the previous version of the standard. ObjectiveDescribes the most general objective of the standard. DescriptionBrief description of the main statement about the standard. Date of technical card.Date when the technical card was created.

Technical card (example) Name of Standard DEFINITION OF PLACE OF USUAL RESIDENCE -CORE TOPIC- (UNSD-2008) Themes & subthemes Socio-Demography - Population and Demographic Dynamics International Organization United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD ) Source UNSD, Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, Revision 2, Economic and Social Affairs, New York, Contributor(s) Expert Group on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses who participated in the development and review of the draft Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, Revision 2. Special thanks go to the members as well as to the Chair of the Drafting Group for the final review of the draft recommendations. Type of standard Concepts and Definitions. Version 2008 Previous version 1998 Objective To present the definition of place of usual residence, according with United Nations Statistics Division Description In general, “usual residence” is defined for census purposes as the place at which the person lives at the time of the census, and has been there for some time or intends to stay there for some time. Generally, most individuals enumerated have not moved for some time and thus defining their place of usual residence is clear. For others, the application of the definition can lead to many interpretations, particularly if the person has moved often. Date of technical card03-April-2008

Technical card (example) Name of Standard MEASUREMENT OF MIGRATION FLOWS (OECD-2002) Themes &subthemes Socio-Demography - Population and Demographic Dynamic - Migration International Organization Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD Source Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,(OECD). (2002). Trends in International Migration SOPEMI, Washington, OECD Contributor(s) Type of Standard Methodologies and procedures Version 2002 Previous version 2000 Objective To detail each of the methods recommended by the OECD, with the intention of identifying the processes behind obtaining the migratory flows, among the different countries, thus establishing the most suitable according to their characteristics. Description Characteristics of the Migratory Flows from Residence licenses When the countries do not possess reliable or updated records of population, they obtain the information through residence licenses and /or through work references this it is the case of The United States, Australia, Canada and France. In the case of the United Kingdom the information is obtained from the disembarkation permits. The data established from the permissions does not necessarily reflect the real flows or the effective duration of the stay, since: 1) The permissions can be delivered abroad but the candidates for the migration did not use them or delayed their arrival, 2) the permissions could be delivered to persons that had already lived in the country and it can correspond to a change of status or are issuing of the permit. The Estimation of the Net Migration It is evident that due to the lack of an updated record of population, some countries have serious problems for estimating the migratory flux into their country. To face such problems, many countries have decided to use, as an indicator to measure the estimation of net migration, the register of foreigners arrivals and departures. Such records are counted and compiled during a certain period (annually), with the purpose of obtaining an effective and verifiable count of the foreign population. Refugees and Asylum Solicitors The applicants for asylum are generally authorized in the recipient country during the revision of their file. This step can take a reasonable time being this the reason it is difficult to know if the asylum applicants must be assessed or not as migrants; in practice, the applicants for asylum are not assessed in the flows of migration and they appear in the statistics, not at the moment of their arrival to the territory, but at the moment where they obtain refugee's status. Date of technical card 15-July-2008

Benefits of the Statistical Standards Inventory (a) It makes compliance with the Law easier; (b) It facilitates documenting the references on International Statistical Standards used in the national statistical projects (Census, Surveys, Monitoring programs, etc.), and; (c) It can help the dissemination of information, on the degree of compliance between the national statistics and the international standards to support future national statistical development National Statistics International Statistical Standards Compliance

Harmonization is needed to support the integration and comparability of information; INEGI offers its Statistical Standards Inventory to the international community; International cooperation is required to compile, communicate, use and document statistical standards; The Committee on Coordination of Statistical Activities could review the database and make proposals for its further development and maintenance in the future. Conclusions

Thank you INEGI, México