January 2014: The UN has released statistical notes advising on data and monitoring challenges in relation to topics under discussion at the eighth session of the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include: promoting equality, including social equity, gender equality and women’s empowerment; and conflict prevention, post-conflict peacebuilding and the promotion of durable peace, rule of law and governance.

OWG 8 convenes in New York, US, from 3-7 February 2014. Issue briefs on the meeting’s topics were published in November 2013.

The statistical note on gender equality and women’s empowerment recognizes a data gap between areas in which gender-relevant data is traditionally collected – including in health status, education and labor market participation – and emerging areas of concern, such as violence against women and girls, and unpaid care work. It recommends that a flexible monitoring framework be designed taking into account data currently available at the global level, with the possibility to include new data and methodological approaches over time.

The statistical note on the conflict prevention cluster says that progress may be measured in relation to public administration, democracy, justice, urban governance, human rights and crime. The note suggests that relevant information should draw on a combination of administrative statistical systems (for example, birth registration, recorded causes of death, and land ownership records), sample surveys and expert reviews. The note foresees challenges in collecting reliable and comprehensive data regarding the decisions of informal or customary justice mechanisms.

The statistical note on promoting equality says that disaggregated local data is essential to understanding where inequalities exist. The note identifies a need for measurement of inequality of opportunity, along the lines of the World Bank’s Human Opportunity Index.

All statistical notes emphasize that capacity building and major investment in data systems will be needed at the global and national levels.

OWG 8 will also discuss oceans and seas, forests and biodiversity. [OWG 8 Webpage] [Publication: Statistical Note for the Issue Brief on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment] [Publication: Statistical Note for the Issue Brief on Conflict Prevention, Post-conflict Peacebuilding and the Promotion of Durable Peace, Rule of Law and Governance] [Publication: Statistical Note for the Issue Brief on Promoting equality, including social equity] [IISD RS Meeting Coverage] [IISD RS Story on OWG 8 Issue Briefs]