UN World Data Forum Concludes with Release of Hangzhou Declaration

Accelerating progress in the implementation of the Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data

After four days of expert discussions, the 2023 United Nations World Data Forum (UNWDF) has concluded with stakeholders from governments, civil society, private sector, and more endorsing the Hangzhou Declaration. This declaration aims to strengthen the global data ecosystem and create a positive impact on people and the planet by building on the 2017 Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data (CTGAP).

Though it is incremental rather than bold, the Hangzhou Declaration does reinforce the UNWDF principles for ensuring that high-quality, timely, and inclusive data are at the forefront of sustainable development efforts, ultimately contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and leaving no one behind.

UN Declarations — high-minded restatements of principles and values — are important to sustain the rhythm of the 15 year journey of moving forward on the SDG goals. We applaud this recommitment to data quality, timeliness, accuracy, and access while being encouraged by the calls for increased investments in systems that produce this information. However, we hope this culminating document does not overshadow the myriad grassroots discussions and innovative projects that were also on display at the UN World Data Forum.

In this article, we break down what it means for the Sustainable Development Goals and the data systems essential to tracking and implementing the 2030 Agenda.

At its core, the declaration acknowledges advancements made by the global data community since the launch of the CTGAP in 2017, emphasizing the need for continued innovation, partnership building, and mobilizing resources for better and more inclusive data.

“Reflecting at the mid-point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, high-quality, timely, open, and inclusive data remains a key component to accelerating the progress needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Key Themes and Priorities

The Hangzhou Declaration highlights renewed commitments and priorities needed to address the multitude of crises facing the world, focusing on the following strategic areas:

• Coordination and strategic leadership on data for sustainable development
• Innovation and modernization of national data and statistical systems
• Dissemination and use of sustainable development data
• Multi-stakeholder partnerships to mobilize resources and coordinate efforts for statistical capacity development

Additionally, it calls for a system for periodic monitoring and evaluation of progress and lessons learned under the CTGAP, with future UN World Data Forums serving as milestones in the community’s collective efforts.

Call for Accelerated Action and Investment

The Hangzhou Declaration underscores an urgent need to accelerate action and develop a data stewardship approach aligned to the CTGAP. This approach will drive innovation and partnerships, making data and statistical systems more responsive and representative of all people.

Moreover, the declaration calls for a significant increase in investments from a variety of sources — including public, private, and philanthropic sectors — to strengthen statistical capacity in low-income countries and close data gaps, especially for vulnerable groups.

“An urgent and sustained increase in the level and scale of investments in data and statistics from domestic and international actors is needed to enhance country resilience in the current context of economic crisis, conflict, climate change, and increased food insecurity.”

Conclusion

Overarching declarations are essential to maintaining progress; but, we also know it is nonprofit innovators and on-the-ground implementers who are hands-on piloting, improving, customizing, scaling and integrating of data initiatives that will make the difference in actually moving more clearly toward global SDG goal realization.

We look forward to sharing these stories as well in the coming weeks.

Read the Full Document

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