1. BETTER AND PROPER ACCESS TO PACIFIC MICRODATA
Nuku’alofa, Tonga
5-7 November 2018

2. What is the purpose of this workshop?
A good understanding of the Microdata Access Project; purpose; process; governance; benefits and challenges;
Member countries that are willing to participate in this project to give their formal endorsement through signing a “Letter of Agreement;”
Identify a counterpart to work with SDD team; and
What is the next step and the timeline for those member countries that are willing to participate.

3. OUTLINE Strategic context
National data dissemination strategy guidelines
Proper and better access to Pacific microdata project
Process for Pacific microdata acquisition, archiving and dissemination
Governance for Pacific microdata acquisition, archiving and dissemination
Regional Pacific data dissemination platform
Opportunities and Challenges
Conclusion

4. STRATEGIC CONTEXT
Why do we need to disseminate Pacific statistics and data?
Pacific leaders need to make well-informed decisions on a daily basis
Decisions being made affect the lives of Pacific people
Pacific citizens need to know their stories and what is happening
Pacific region is an integral part of the global development agenda, and
Fake news and fake data can be very dangerous
All these factors mean that:
Pacific statistics and final datasets need to be properly disseminated through trusted channels

5. Strategic Context
The 2017 Regional Conference of Heads of Planning and Statistics (HOPS) held in November 2017, endorsed:
a proposal for a Regional Data Dissemination Framework
a proposal for better and proper access to Pacific microdata
2018 PSSC Meeting endorsed:
a draft of a Pacific Regional Data Dissemination Strategy (PRDDS)
Guidance on developing a national dissemination strategy

6. National data dissemination strategy guidelines
Basic principles for developing national dissemination strategies
Guidelines available to assist in development of national dissemination strategies
NSOs understand the data needs of all their users and plan their collection and dissemination activities to meet the demand:
NSOs are able to respond to enquiries quickly and efficiently to the satisfaction of users;
There is an increase in available and accessible data in user-friendly formats;
More national statistical data is used in developing, implementing and monitoring national and sectoral plans and policies, as evidenced in strategy documents and in monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
SPC-SDD will assist NSOs to develop the national dissemination strategies under the guidelines (subject to resource availability)

7. UNDERSTANDING USERS OF YOUR STATISTICS
Initiative: Pacific Statistics User Engagement Project
NATIONAL
USERS
REGIONAL
USERS
INTERNATIONAL
USERS
Expert users
Mid-level users
General users

8. Who are the Principal Users
Based on the User Engagement Survey undertaken by SPC-SDD in 2017, and other models developed internationally, users may be grouped according to their data needs:
Expert users with high data use
Analysts, specialists, researchers, Pacific students and others - intensive users of data. These users currently use reports, databases and many sources of information. They identified microdata, followed by data presented identifying trends and patterns as their needs.
Inquirers - Mid-level users
Planners and advisors, for example, whose main role is policy not information. Needing quick accurate answers to information requests and to be able to present this in a meaningful way for their use.
Fact- finders - Occasional data users
Business users have a similar need for quick answers,
Students, looking for answers to assignments
NGOs, Community groups needing an overview on a topic or place
The Regional Dissemination Strategy has been designed to meet the specific needs of each user-group; expert users will look across the range of international tools, while mid-level users will often want a single access point that they know can give the quick answers, and national statistics agencies are often dealing with requests from occasional data users within country.

9. UNDERSTANDING WHAT PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT USERS NEED

10. BETTER AND PROPER ACCESS TO PACIFIC MICRODATA
Critical factors in this project:
the ownership of statistical data and associated metadata resides with the national producers, in this case national statistics offices, and
the confidentiality of an individual’s information must be protected, in line with requirements set out in each member country’s Statistics Act.

11. Process around data acquisition, archiving and dissemination
Principal Factors for Sound Governance of Regional Dissemination
Data curated by SPC-SDD in the PDL is managed under appropriate procedures and agreements; and
Data producers agree that data, including unit record microdata, may be held and disseminated by SPC- SDD, as they have confidence that:
Their legal responsibility to maintain confidentiality is protected; and
Data will only be used and shared as determined by the individual country-agreements;
Data producers are confident that their data is protected from external hacking, shocks and losses;
SPC-SDD is confident that the data has appropriate metadata and is properly documented and fit for use;
Users have confidence that the data used for research, planning, policy and decision-making has integrity, is supported by comprehensive metadata, and is properly catalogued and protected.
As a result, PICT government data producers share their datasets through the Pacific Data Library when the data is fully processed and released. To develop the governance of SPC-SDD-curated statistical data, SPC-SDD will undertake the following activities.
Never
With approval
Open access

12. Governance around microdata access
Different relationships involved:
Between SPC and NSOs
Between users and SPC as custodians of NSOs dataset
Between users and NSOs
Different governance frameworks
High level Memorandum of Understanding (SPC-NSOs)
Data access agreement
Terms of use

13. Regional Pacific data dissemination platform
The Pacific Data Hub, the Pacific Data Library and SPC-SDD dissemination platforms:
Are high quality and user-friendly so that they are widely used and referenced in regional media sources;
Provide harmonisation of census and survey datasets;
Provide secure facilities protecting data from computer virus attacks, hackers and other forms of disaster, shock or potential loss;
NSOs and other essential users, have access to national data from a protected source in case of a disaster or emergency in their own country.
The needs of users (at national, regional and international levels) for Pacific data and information are met through a recognised and a high-quality source;
NSOs supply timely updates as they recognise the value of an integrated database, and may refer information requests to the platform as an easy way to access Pacific data.
Acquisition
Documentation
Cataloguing
Anonymization
Dissemination
Preservation

14. Challenges and Opportunities
Risk of disclosing individual information
Lack of trust in the process and governance
Lack of trust in SPC handing your microdata
Unclear in the interpretation of Statistics Act and what it means by “confidentiality of information”
Lack of engagement with users to understand clearly who need your statistics and data

15. Challenges and opportunities
NSOs own the process;
Clear governance;
Proper documentation & preservation;
More users can access accurate and well documented Pacific microdata;
Trusted platform where Pacific microdata can be disseminated from;
Local custodian - transparency and accountability (SPC’s accountability to member countries);
Give SPC the right to act on behalf of NSOs if data are misused or mishandled; and
Strong capacity building component in this project

16. Conclusion and next step
A good understanding of the Microdata Access Project; purpose; process; governance; benefits and challenges;
Member countries that are willing to participate in this project to give their formal endorsement through signing a “Letter of Agreement;”
Identify a counterpart to work with SDD team; and
What is the next step and the timeline for those member countries that are willing to participate.

17. Question What are some of the steps that SPC-SDD
needs to take to ensure it is a good and trusted custodian of your microdata?
Channel for NSOs to provide instant feedback
Mid-term review of the project