CARIBBEAN | Grenada urges implementation of 2014 CARICOM action plan

“Grenada says the implementation of an action plan developed by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) statisticians in 2014 must be a priority for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell, addressing the Paris 21 annual board meeting that ended here on Thursday, said once implemented, the plan will result in strengthening of national statistical systems, promoting careers in statistics, and revolutionizing statistical processes through ICT.”

WiredJa

PM Mitchell pushes collaborative approach to development of high quality statistics

“The Prime Minister, who is CARICOM’s Lead Head of Government with responsibility for Science and Technology, laid out his vision and plans Wednesday during an address to the PARIS21 Annual Board Meeting held in Paris, France. Statistics, he said, had become an indispensable tool in the democratic process of countries, in all facets of society and in the development of sectors and industry.”

CARICOM

What it takes to build a strong partnership on statistics

“Overall, being at the PARIS21 Board meetings last week, I was hugely impressed by how far PARIS21 has come since its inception almost 17 years ago. Although the level of statistical capacity of developing countries is still below what is required, huge progress has nevertheless been made. Listening to countries talk about the good things they have received from PARIS21 clearly showed how much they all value the role it plays.”

Open Data Watch

News agencies join forces for EU data journalism site

“Following the launch of the hub, other data journalism specialists and news agencies from across Europe will be invited to take part and contribute, creating a truly European data-driven news platform.”

Euractiv

The tyranny of aggregates

“The MDG framework relied on national averages, a key limitation. “Leaving no one behind” to address rising inequality between and within countries has become an overarching theme of the SDG agenda. It underlines a “data revolution” which should track progress by location, gender, poverty incidence and other characteristics. An important initial step in this regard is reviewing and aligning national official survey tools with statistical systems.”

The Express Tribune (Pakistan)

Teaching data journalism in developing countries: lessons from ODECA

“There is a growing awareness that the challenge of teaching data journalism in many countries is split straight down the middle between teaching data and teaching journalism. Open data can be a boon to democracy — but only if there are professionals capable and motivated to transform that data into information for the public.”

Online Journalism Blog

Reliable, accessible data, key to our development – Bawumia

“According to the Vice President, statistics has moved from being a simple tool for the monitoring and evaluation to become the key determinant of developmental projects which enable accurate interventions and the development of new products." With increasing demand for more and better quality data, the SDGs require a step-change in the types, methods and actors involved in data production and use," he said.”

The Statesman (Ghana)

What big data can do for Chinese governance

“The central government is acutely aware of how little it knows about the country. A vast array of fragmented local authorities gathers data for the government, but in the bottom-up reporting process through the bureaucratic hierarchies the data inevitably become distorted for political and personal ends. (…) But technology is changing that, allowing a wide range of data to be collected directly without distortions. This is made possible by the digital revolution that is in full swing in China.”

Nikkei Asian Review

"Statistics for a Better Tomorrow"

“You would agree with me that scientific evidence provide better results than those presumed on intuition or gut feelings. There has been increasing awareness of the importance of using statistics for decision making. However, there is still a need for promoting the appropriate use of statistics in assessing situations, understanding reasons, making valid inferences, and making right decisions.”

The Island (Sri Lanka)

Speech by the Director General, Department of Census and Statistics

FG/UNDP validate baseline report on SDGs

“The Federal Government through its statistical agency, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in collaboration with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and other stakeholders, has validated Baseline Study Report on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Yemi Kale, at the opening of two-day Validation Workshop on Monday in Abuja, said the process was key to monitoring and reporting the SDGs.”

Business Day (Nigeria)

SDG Data Portal Launched for Asia-Pacific

“The Portal, built on a subset of the ESCAP Statistical Database, includes all of the indicators from the global SDG indicator framework for which data sources could be identified. It also uses supplementary indicators and data series, for indicators for which the custodian agency has not yet provided data, or when indicators have alternative ways to present data.”

IISD

SIB and GOB strengthen national statistical system

“The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) and the Ministry of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce (MEDP), held a workshop this week, in an effort to strengthen the National Statistical System (NSS).”

The Reporter (Belize)

Statistical Committee eyes cooperation with European statistical structures

“A delegation of the State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan headed by first Deputy Chairman Vahab Mammadov visited the Kingdom of Netherlands and Germany to discuss future cooperation with the statistical structures of these countries.”

Azernews (Azerbaijan)

Building the integrated inequality database and the seven sins of inequality measurement in Sub-Saharan Africa

G. A. Cornia and B. Martorano, University of Firenze

Nepal’s emerging data revolution

Development Initiatives

Fact, fake or fool: A fiendish news quiz

“Identifying real stories may be particularly difficult at this time of year: in addition to the standard diet of fake articles, April Fools’ Day inspires playful journalists to fabricate tales of politicians’ mishaps or the launch of insane-sounding gadgets. Can you distinguish the news, scams and harmless pranks in our quiz?”

The Economist

Expert meeting on statistics for Sustainable Development Goals

10-12 April – Geneva, Switzerland

Workshop on statistics for Sustainable Development Goals

12-13 April – Geneva, Switzeland