1. Setting Up a National Data Archive: The Ugandan Experience
Thomas Emwanu and Kizito Kasozi
Uganda Bureau of Statistics
Kampala, Uganda

2. Outline Background Key Weakness in the NSS The ADP Assistance
National Data Archive
Archiving UBOS datasets
Some Challenges
The Way Forward

3. Background UBOS is the central statistics agency in Uganda
manages, monitors and co-ordinates National Statistical System (NSS)
semi-autonomous under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development
conducts national surveys and censuses
disseminates results/reports
provides data to public, researchers, institutions, etc.

4. Background (2)
Comprehensive 5-Year Plan for National Statistical Development (PNSD) adopted in October 2006
development phase of the NSS
critical in affirming UBOS as the driving force
collaborative effort with nine priority specific sectors within government (for a start)
one of the strategic goals to improve data management and dissemination
develop a National Statistical Databank (NSD)

5. Background (3) The lack of an efficient national system
Fragmented statistical production
Most datasets of very poor quality
Inconsistent or conflicting results or reports
Datasets with minimal or no documentation
No standards (definitions, formats, etc.)
Badly structured or unstructured datasets
Datasets not properly archived/backed-up

6. Key Weakness in the NSS Limited coordination No statistical units
within
across
No statistical units
existing ones (very) weak
Professional staff (esp. in Ministries)
lack skills
not motivated

7. Key Weakness (2) Poor linkages to policy process
Little use of data for decision making
There is need for
data analysis
data integration
proper reporting
efficient dissemination
archiving

8. The ADP Assistance
The identified weakness provided the framework and motive for the proposed support to
fill some of the gaps and weakness
build capacity at UBOS and sectors
provide guidance in best practices
encourage data sharing and gathering
help put in place proper policies
provide technical assistance

9. The ADP Assistance (2)
Three major tasks agreed upon with 8 centers of activities:
Documentation, dissemination and preservation of microdata (the presentation will mainly focus on this)
Analysis and quality assessment of existing microdata
Support to data collection activities

10. The ADP Assistance (3)
Task 1: Documentation, dissemination and preservation of microdata
Establish a national microdata archive
Formulate a formal microdata dissemination policy
Build expertise on microdata anonymization
Improve the national statistics website, making it more data-access oriented
Establish a microdata lab at UBOS accessible by sector partners

11. National Microdata Archive
Phase 1: Document all datasets available at UBOS
Phase 2: Account for all the micro datasets available in line Ministries
conduct an inventory of the datasets
assess any existing datasets
collaborate with key staff to define sector specific strategies for
Documenting
Archiving

12. National Data Archive (2)
The International Household Survey Network (IHSN) Toolkit adopted
National training workshop (Nov 2006)
UBOS and staff from 8 key sectors
Response very good
“The right tool at the right time!”
As a result, adopted also
Data Documentation Initiative (DDI)
Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI)

13. Documenting UBOS Datasets
Time-line set for first half of 2007
Slow start in March but has picked up
4 datasets completed (1 census; 3 surveys)
Work ongoing on 4 datasets
Metadata for 2 surveys uploaded to website
Periodic monitoring and follow-up
Review and new work plan in June 2007

14. Some Challenges Missing or inadequate documentation
Difficulty in getting information
key individuals busy or absent
delays in preparation
not a top priority
consultants that prepared data left
Documentation only as hard copies
No appreciation of importance

15. Some Challenges (2) Concerns regarding anonymization
Unclear data dissemination policies
Fear of criticism
not very confident of reliability data
exposure of poor methods
contradictory results
Exclusive ownership
personalised datasets
some data may be ‘sensitive’

16. Some Challenges (3) Different data formats Poor quality of data
SAS, Stata, SPSS, dBase, ASCII, Excel, etc.
Poor quality of data
not well cleaned
to archive or not to archive?
Unavailable datasets
Lack of centralised storage
datasets in different places
It takes time to understand datasets

17. Some Challenges (4) Need for collaboration
statisticians perceive it as an IT issue
seen as dull and time consuming
‘owner’ may not understand the data
No guidelines, standards and policies
No extra resources for data archiving
Lack of skills in data management
IT staff few and busy on many things

18. The Way Forward Complete documentation of UBOS datasets
Develop a formal microdata dissemination policy
maximise use of the data
protect confidentiality of respondents
in line with international best practices
Develop guidelines and standards for data archiving
Encourage use of microdata and broaden access to datasets

19. The Way Forward (2)
Establish synergies and partnerships with other producers within the public and private sector
Build expertise in microdata anonymization
use tools and guidelines by the IHSN
Improve the national statistics website
online survey catalogue
clear data access policies
easy to use data access request forms
direct access to all metadata

20. The Way Forward (3)
Adopt internationally accepted best practices in microdata management and archiving
Create a national data archive for the NSS
Build capacity and encourage use of best practices across the NSS
Establish links with others in the region and develop a community of practice among statistics institutions to promote these metadata standards

21. Thank You