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

lynn.woolfrey@uct.ac.za http://www.datafirst.uct.ac.za