Six Sessions to Watch from the 2024 UN Statistical Commission
Here are the Must-Watch Side Events from the 55th StatCom
The formal meetings of the UN Statistical Commission may cover four days of dense material, but they represent just a snapshot of the essential information available on how data is used to track, analyze, and report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the weeks leading up to the official sessions, countless Side Events offer a deeper dive into these crucial topics, providing invaluable insights for the international data community. This year was no exception.
In this article, we highlight six Side Events held between mid-January and early March that are worth revisiting.
If you’d like to catch up on the big-picture conversations from the 55th Statistical Commission, we have an entire article looking at background information and overarching themes that may interest you: Discussing Data at the Statistical Commission.
Top Side Event Sessions
- Beyond GDP
- 10-years of Use of Big Data and Data Science
- The Global Statistical Geospatial Framework
- Towards a Data Science Playbook
- The Future of Population Data Systems
- Data For Now — Innovation to Fill Critical Data Gaps and Inform Decision-making
Beyond GDP
UN Statisticians recognize the limitations of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for measuring national well-being. In this session they discuss a proposed new framework for “Valuing What Counts” to go beyond GDP. This framework considers well-being, sustainability, and reduced inequality through a UN value dashboard with existing and new data sources.
10-years of Use of Big Data and Data Science
UN Big Data
This webinar provides an overview of the report on the 10-years of use of Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics. The survey details are described along with results and recommendation based on the survey. The full report of the 10-year review was released as a background document to the Statistical Commission and is available here.
The Global Statistical Geospatial Framework
United Nations Expert Group on the Integration of Statistical and Geospatial Information
This session highlights the importance of linking statistical data with geographic information to address global challenges like climate change and food production. The UN Economic and Social Council established an Expert Group to help countries integrate these data types and leverage advancements in AI and Big Data for better decision-making. The session raises awareness of efforts to update these methods and their benefits for national statistics.
Towards a Data Science Playbook
The Data Science Leader’s Network is creating a Playbook, a practical guide for National Statistical Offices to integrate data science into their work. This Playbook will provide a step-by-step approach to starting data science projects, share best practices, and help overcome challenges. It aims to be a user-friendly resource for practitioners to mainstream data science in their everyday work. This session discusses the Playbook’s progress based on the Network’s recent meeting.
The Future of Population Data Systems
Population data systems are crucial for understanding population trends and making informed decisions. They collect data from censuses, surveys, administrative records, and new sources like social media, to create a comprehensive picture of a population. These systems are constantly evolving to keep up with the need for more frequent and detailed data. This virtual event brought together experts to discuss how to build better population data systems, considering challenges like data privacy and the need for collaboration among different stakeholders.
Data For Now — Innovation to Fill Critical Data Gaps and Inform Decision-making
The Data For Now initiative, launched in 2019 to improve data collection in developing countries for policy making, shared its progress and future plans at this session. Representatives from participating countries showcased how they’re using innovative approaches to address their specific needs, while organizers discussed how Data For Now connects to a larger UN initiative to strengthen data systems globally by 2030. The event included a wide range of stakeholders interested in supporting this effort.
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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.
