Discussing Data at the Statistical Commission
Reflecting on the 55th Session of UN StatCom
If you want to see the inner workings of how the data behind the Sustainable Development Goals are tracked, analyzed, and reported on, then look no further than the United Nations Statistical Commission. Spanning four days of official sessions and featuring nearly one hundred side events, this forum is where the international community gathers to discuss and shape the future of data.
With the 55th session having recently concluded, we look into the key conversations, highlight emerging themes, and provide resources to keep you informed.
Article Outline
Event Overview
The Statistical Commission is the highest body in global statistics. According to the orientation manual:
It brings the chief statisticians of Member States together from around the world. It is the highest decision-making body for international statistical activities, notably the setting of statistical standards, the development of concepts and methods and their implementation at the national and international levels.
The Commission, consisting of 24 member states that rotate every four years, oversees the UN Statistics Division with a mandate to assist:
- In promoting the development of national statistics and the improvement of their comparability;
- In the coordination of the statistical work of specialized agencies;
- In the development of the central statistical services of the Secretariat;
- In advising the organs of the United Nations on general questions relating to the collection, analysis, and dissemination of statistical information;
- In promoting the improvement of statistics and statistical methods generally.
To accomplish these mandates, the 55th Session of the Commission officially met from 27 February through 01 March 2024 in seven plenary meetings. Additionally, there were 98 documented side events which ran from mid-January to early March.
Key Themes and Discussions
The 55th session of the UN Statistical Commission, themed ‘Better Data, Better Lives,’ explored an array of topics and areas of focus.
Our team here at SDGCounting went through the 20+ hours of video, audio, and transcripts from the main session and identified these common discussion points:
- Optimization of Data and Statistics: Participants highlighted the current digital era with discussions revolving around the significance of data collection advancements, digitalization, and the necessity for equitable data access to foster effective data governance. Discussion included concerns regarding data inequalities and the need for international collaboration to address these issues.
- Implementation of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data: The drastic advancements seen in AI have not gone unnoticed. Discussion on how to integrate this technology responsibly, along with approaches for leveraging Big Data opportunities, was interspersed throughout the meetings and Side Events.
- Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics: Comments on the tenets of official statistics led to an emphasis on a re-imagined approach for data gathering and the growth of statistical inclusion particularly in terms of adapting new data sources and utilizing digital advancements. These discussions also include the conducting of population and housing censuses and possible improvements over traditional approaches.
- Promotion of Inclusivity and Representation: The need for improved inclusion and representation in the Statistical Commission was emphasized. Additionally, discussions extensively covered the need to strengthen gender statistics.
- Open Data Principles and Modernization: The discussions emphasized the need for a modernized UN data platform to act as a single entry point for authoritative statistical data, and metadata, advocating for open data principles.
- Strengthening Capacity Building and Technical Assistance: Supporting capacity building and providing technical assistance is crucial to implementing the recommendations that participants think their home countries need. To make these advancements in methodologies, innovation, and practices in statistics, we need increased resources and collaboration.
Stay Informed: Your Guide to Catching Up
If you missed the 2024 Statistical Commission, not to worry, there are still plenty of ways to catch up on the content.
Watch the Official Sessions
All seven meetings are available for streaming on UN Web TV:
- First Meeting (27 Feb)
- Second Meeting (27 Feb)
- Third Meeting (28 Feb)
- Fourth Meeting (28 Feb)
- Fifth Meeting (29 Feb)
- Sixth Meeting (29 Feb)
- Seventh Meeting (01 Mar)
Review the Side Events
A complete list of all side events is still available. Many of the sessions include links to recordings, while all of them provide background documentation and summaries of content.
Additionally, our team has curated a list of the best sessions to pay attention to which you can check out here:
Check out the Official Documentation
Due to the technical nature of the Statistical Commission, the document repository for the meeting includes some of the most important reports and frameworks related to data and the SDGs. By our count, there were nearly 100 relevant files ranging from official reports to background documents and statements. The full list is available here:
Go through the Orientation
If you want to know more about how the process works, we recommend you review the participant orientation documentation. While originally developed for delegates and attendees, we found the orientation handbook and presentation to be great resources for anyone trying to get their bearings on the inner workings of StatCom.
Conclusion
Of all the events our team covers, the Statistical Commission is arguably the most densely packed with information but unfortunately is also one of the least covered. Given the importance of the conversations and the role data plays in not only tracking, but also achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, we hope you will consider sharing this valuable information.
Our team will utilize the insights gained from this 55th session to better understand the context and direction of upcoming events such as the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the UN General Assembly, and the World Data Forum. To find out more about gatherings on our radar for 2024, check out this article:
SDGCounting is a program of StartingUpGood and tracks the progress of counting and measuring the success of the SDGs. Follow us on social media:
For the latest on innovative entrepreneurship and social enterprise, check out StartingUpGood on Twitter/X and LinkedIn.
Disclaimer: Generative AI tools such as OpenAI’s GPT and Google’s Gemini were used in the creation of this article to assist with summarization and proof reading.
