An inter-regional seminar hosted by the five UN regional commissions - ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWA, ECA, and UNECE - and three countries from each region considered best practices in the production, monitoring and reporting of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) indicators and possible lessons to be utilized in designing the post-2015 MDG development agenda.
17 May 2012: An inter-regional seminar examined best practices in the production, monitoring and reporting of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) indicators in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, and possible lessons to be utilized in designing the post-2015 development agenda.
The seminar, organized and hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) at its Santiago, Chile headquarters, from15-17 May 2012, was attended by representatives of the UN regional commissions for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Western Asia (ESCWA), Africa (ECA) and Europe (UNECE), as well as officials from national statistics offices and other MDG-related public institutions in 15 countries (three from each region).
On the first day, the UN regional commissions discussed their respective regional MDG statistical programmes. Armenia, Mexico, Moldova, Yemen and Zimbabwe then presented on country best practices in the production, compilation and dissemination of MDG data and metadata, followed by Gambia, Maldives and Tajikistan on best practice in production of disaggregated MDG data and subnational MDG reporting.
The morning of the second day featured two sessions. In the first Argentina, Bahrain and Vanuatu presented on implementing national coordination mechanisms aiming at improving the monitoring and reporting of MDG indicators. In the second session Benin, the Philippines and Venezuela discussed the role of political commitment and effective use of MDG data for policy analysis and advocacy.
In the afternoon of the second day participants discussed how lessons learned from the field can be applied in designing the post-2015 MDG monitoring framework. Juan Carlos Feres, Chief of ECLAC’s Social Statistics Unit, presented the current scenario and statistical challenges, followed by presentations and discussion of national perspectives on additional targets and indicators by Chile and Egypt.
The session on the post-2015 regime continued on the third day with general presentations by UNECE, ESCWA and ESCAP, and a presentation by UNECA on “Sources and Methodologies for Newly Identified Development Indicators that are Customized to the Realities, Needs and Priorities for Monitoring Human and Social Development beyond 2015.” [ECLAC Press Release]