World Bank’s Support to Statistical Development

Worldwide

Development Data Group, World Bank January 17, 2007

2

The World Bank and official statistics

• A major user• A compiler

– World Development Indicators– Global Development Finance– other databases

• A manager of global data programs– International Comparison Program (ICP)– Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) surveys, etc.

• A funding agency of development programs to improve statistical capacity– Technical assistance (TA)– Investment operations– Partnership

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World Bank’s role in statistical data standard setting and coordination • Standard setting

– Poverty data, external debt statistics, new emerging development indicators such as governance

– Cross-country data analysis (e.g. GNI/capita)– Data exchange & dissemination, working with IMF on GDDS,

with the UN MDG group on data publications, SDMX, etc. – Improving PPP data collected through the ICP– Household survey methods (LSMS, CWIQ) and data collection

tools• Coordination

– Extensive coordination on data compilation and dissemination (MDG work, many interagency coordination efforts, UN CCSA)

– A wide-ranging partnership on statistical capacity building work

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Increasing demand for better data – a key driver for a larger role in statistics• Focus on results in countries

– Poverty reduction strategies– IDA 14 results measurement– Need for accountability

• Global monitoring– Millennium Development Goals– Debt monitoring– International comparisons

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National data are needed to meet these demands

Availability of estimates for 25 survey-based MDG indicators (2000-2004)

Latin American Countries

30%

Sub-Saharan Africa

7%10%

10%60% obtained from national sources

83% obtained from national sources

Estimated by agencies Missing

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A vicious or a virtuous cycle?

Low demand

Lowresources

Pooroutput

Stronger demand

Moreresources

Betteroutput

Stronger demand• PRSPs, MDGs, results-based management

Better output• National Strategies for Statistical Development

More resources• Grants, loan/credits, budget (PRSC/PRGF)

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The need for change at national level

• In many developing countries …– Information that is needed is not readily

available– Data that are collected are not fully analyzed or

used– Data users have limited confidence in the

quality and integrity of official statistics– Resources are scarce and not used effectively

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The need for change at international level

• International community needs to…– Join efforts to harmonize standards– Strengthen partnership to better coordinate

statistical advocacy and promotion– Mobilize additional funding to improve

statistical capacity

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A partnership framework for improving development statistics • The Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics

(MAPS)– Agreed at the Second Roundtable for Managing for

Development Results, February 2004– Aims to improve the capacity to produce and use data for

development– Key objective is to meet the data challenge of MDGs by

2010– Builds on what has been achieved, has a timetable, and

estimated costs– Key event: Third Roundtable on results in Hanoi,

February 2007

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The six actions of MAPS

• National level– Mainstream strategic planning– Prepare for 2010 census round– Increase financing for statistical capacity

improvement• International level

– Set up the International Household Survey Network

– Improve MDG monitoring– Improve international accountability

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Tools for monitoring and assessing statistical capacity

• PARIS21 Light Reporting System• UN ECE/EUROSTAT monitoring projects for

Balkan and CIS countries• UN ESCAP Statistical Indicator for Asia and

the Pacific• World Bank

– Country statistical information database– World Bank statistical projects database– Statistical capacity score

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How do Western Balkan countries stack up?

Statistical Capacity Scores: Western Balkan Countries

44

5848

86

51

76

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1999 2006

Year

Scor

e

Practice

Collection

Availability

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… on average, Western Balkan countries fared better, …

Statistical Capacity: Overall Score

5566

48

73

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1999 2006

Year

Scor

e All

WesternBalkan

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… Overall there have been major improvements

Overall Score Change between 1999 and 2006

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

1999

2006

Western BalkanCountries

Other Countries

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Support for MAPS: national capacity

• Mainstreaming strategic planning– World Bank grant to PARIS21 for NSDS advocacy and

development and dissemination of guidelines– TFSCB and other grants to countries for NSDS preparation

• 2010 Population Census Preparation– World Bank grant for UNSD to support 2010 Census

preparations• Scaling up finance for countries to implement NSDSs

– Budgeted resources– Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building (TFSCB)– Lending programs (STATCAP)– Other grants (e.g. from other donors)

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Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building (TFSCB)

• A multi-donor trust fund ($24m to date)• Complementary to PARIS21• Donors – UK, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland,

France, Canada (possible)• Funded 98 statistical development projects worth

US$20 million• 46 countries received support for preparation of a

NSDS• NSDS is key to scaling-up investment in national

statistical capacity

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A special lending program (STATCAP)

• Makes it easier for countries to invest in upgrading statistical capacity

• Preparation of NSDS/SMP is the first step for project appraisal

• The first group of beneficiary countries: Burkina Faso, Ukraine, Kenya, Tajikistan

• Work underway for Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, India, Kyrgyz, Mongolia, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uganda

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Support for MAPS: international partnership

• International Household Survey Network– Supported through PARIS21

• Improving key data– A new “Accelerated Data Program”,

supported through PARIS21– World Bank grants for UIS (education

statistics), UN-Habitat (urban indicators), ILO (gender statistics)

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International Household Survey Network (IHSN)

• Objectives– Better access to and use of data by planners,

researchers – Coordination for better planning,

harmonization of concepts, methods• Progress

– All major survey sponsors are members– Central survey repository: improving access– Data dissemination toolkit: helping countries

document surveys– PARIS21: new “Satellite” program

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IHSN: Survey and Census Catalog

2,578 surveys/censuses listed

Promotes secured, controlled access to available data and metadata

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IHSN: Microdata Dissemination Toolkit

Websites

CD-ROMs, DVDs

On-line analysis

Survey documentation

XML metadata

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Pilot Accelerated Data Program (12 countries over 3 years)1. Taking stock

– Inventory, documentation, dissemination of existing data (accessible, “ready for use”)

2. Using and assessing existing data– Analysis (key PRSP/other issues)– Quality assessment (reliability, relevance)

3. Collecting data– Design medium-term survey programs (NSDS)– Support data collection activities, building on

national survey programs (no imposed model)