1. REGIONAL WORKSHOP FOR THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
REGIONAL WORKSHOP FOR THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
14th to 15th October, 2013
Title: Development Policies and Statistics;
How to Reinforce the Link
The Case of Swaziland
Swaziland
Colin Tshabalala
Amos Zwane
Zanele Dlamini
19 February 2019

2. Development Policy
Policy is defined as a set of ideas and proposals for actions
A typical policy will become a rule or regulation and endorsed by law
Policy describes the intention of an Institution ; it provides principles that govern the action towards given results
Development Policy is a formal statement of standards and principles that provides a basis for formulation of strategies, plans, legislation & other framework documents.
Generally Dev. Policies are to advance Econ. Growth, through Poverty reduction & job creation.
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3. Statistical System
Statistic is a mathematical science pertaining to the collection, analysis, interpretation, and representation of data
Statistics play a vital role in development
Good statistics are essential to manage the effective delivery of basic public services.
Statistics are needed not only to help drive the outcomes that policies are aiming at, but also to measure progress towards those outcomes.
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4. DEVELOPMENT POLICIES AND STATISTICS: In Swaziland
The Government of Swaziland developed two overarching Development Policies, namely:
The National Development Strategy (NDS; 1999) and
The Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Programme – PRSAP (2006)
The country has recently developed the Economic Recovery Strategy (ERS)
The formulation of these Policies and many others, have been informed by the statistics
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5. DEVELOPMENT POLICIES AND STATISTICS:
Swaziland, like other African Countries, has addressed the problem of under-achieving and under-funded statistical systems, through the NSDS
These strategies aim to improve the evidence base to “manage for results”
The key statistical needs are expressed in the NDS and the PRSAP which encompass the monitoring of MDGs
Strategic Plan was developed to strengthened NSS thru identifying both current & future needs for data and generating more demand for statistics and attract more funding.
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6. Required Measures to Reinforce the Link:
Coordination and collaboration
Legislative backing and an organisational framework is required to enable the CSO to effectively coordinate the NSS. Therefore the NSDS need to;
Improve inter-institutional coordination arrangements between data producers and users to increase data relevance and usage.
Improve technical coordination arrangements among data producers
Encourage line ministries and all institutions to collect, use and publish routine administrative data.
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7. Reinforce the Link: cont’d
Improving the dissemination of statistics
Much data is in unpublished form; this results many potential users denied information about available data series.
More often than not, data is scattered in different forms in producer institutions, thereby making it difficult and inconvenient to access and use them
There has to be central repository to act as a single access point to the official statistics ; this will improve access to data.
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8. Reinforce the Link: cont’d
Capacity Developing in the NSS for better development results L
Data analysis of statistical data by the statisticians is inadequate.
More detailed analysis is required to illuminate developmental issues, inform policy design and programme development
Staff ability and skills need to be capacitated to include;
Recruitment, promotion and motivation
Expand the skills base and expertise of existing and new staff
Develop Staff to Full Potential;
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