Download - Principles for improved NSS Data flows
Principles for improvedNSS Data flows
Lynn WoolfreyDataFirst
Expert Group Meeting on a framework for data flows in National Statistical Systems in Africa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 26-28 June 2012
Promoting Data Access in African Countries
United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics
These principles can be re-examined to assist the development of a framework
for improved NSS data flows
Promoting Data Access in African Countries
Principle 10. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation in statistics contributes to the improvement of systems of official statistics in all
countries.
for example: EGMs!
Promoting Data Access in African Countries
Principle 1. Official statistics … that meet the test of practical utility are to be compiled and made available on an impartial basis by official
statistical agencies to honour citizens' entitlement to public information.
• Do NSS agencies share data– within agencies/ between agencies/ within the research-policy interface?
• What does this data flow look like? Can it be improved?
Promoting Data Access in African Countries
Principle 8. Coordination among statistical agencies within countries is essential to achieve consistency and efficiency in the statistical system
To adhere to Principle 1 it is necessary for NSS agencies to:• co-ordinate data collection efforts• preserve data inter-operably
Promoting Data Access in African Countries
Principle 9. The use by statistical agencies in each country of international concepts, classifications and methods promotes the
consistency and efficiency of statistical systems at all official levels
• Principle 8 – coordinated data exchange - cannot happen without adherence to standards
• This includes shared usage of standard technologies (preferably Open Source)
• Includes standard nomenclature, file formats, versioning
The technology and standards exist to ensure efficient data flows within NSS and between country NSS
Promoting Data Access in African Countries
Data flows in African NSSChallenges
• Limited resources• Skills shortages• Minimal data sharing
infrastructure• Lack of Ministerial
support for leveraging national data assets
Opportunities
• Free /Open source software solutions
• Training – never enough though
• Advocacy to/within govt• Regional bodies
promoting better data/ data usage (EGM?)
Online Data Portal using Open Source software
Metadata is available for all surveys
All documentation is downloadable
A citations module has been added to the software
DataFirst has an OECD project to cite all publications based on African data
[email protected] http://www.datafirst.uct.ac.za