New Guidelines for the NSDS

December 2013

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• To share best practices from the experience of 100 NSDS implemented over the last years.

• To take into account international community statistical initiatives (SGDD, 2008 NSA, Busan Action Plan, etc.).

• To integrate the new development context, marked by the end of the MDRI-HIPC debt-reduction process; and prepare the post-2015 (MDG) framework.

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• To take into account countries confronted with special situations: federal countries; fragile countries, etc.

• To make the document more user-friendly and flexible by using electronic support to facilitate access to information and best practices.

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The basic documentation includes:•The NSDS content and the appraisals and evaluations available since 2004.•The main reflections and initiatives taken by the international community with respect to statistics and development since 2004. •At the end of each theme, practical information and references, tools and best practices are supplied.

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1Redefinition of the ongoing steps of the NSDS process.2NSDS preparation.3The taking into account of specific questions.

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1.1 Management of the NSDS process.1.2 Financing of the process.1.3 Statistics promotion.1.4 Monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

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• Promoting and managing institutional, organisational and human change required by the NSDS.

• Using the participative approach: change through consultation and dialogue.

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• Ensuring fit with the country’s development and promoting statistics as a priority.

• Identifying a top-level politician to support the NSDS during its preparation and implementation.

• Ensuring that all important decisions are endorsed by political powers.

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• Include the NSDS in the country’s development strategy.

• Confirm the importance of budgetary financing which is the expression of political commitment.

• Define a realistic financing strategy, approved at the highest political level and the TFPs.

• Ensure an annual monitoring of the financial strategy implementation, in liaison with the TFPs.

• Integrate new financing instruments: budget support, Medium Term Expenditure Frameworks (MTEFs), mutual funds, etc.

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• This must be a continuous, strategy-based activity with a budget, including the creation of a communications unit.

• Sensitise people to the use of statistics, especially at the highest political level, and increase public trust in statistics.

• Base the promotion on user satisfaction.

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• M/E must be a constant management instrument in managing the NSDS process.

• M/E will provide a reporting to alert authorities and prepare changes to be made.

• Monitoring to be at least annual and a mid-term and final evaluation of the NSDS.

• Indicators (Paris21, BM, CEA) exist to measure statistical capabilities and ensure M/E.

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2.1 Acknowledging the priority status of statistics.

2.2 Basic NSDS principles.2.3 Preparing the NSDS.2.4 Diagnostics and strategy.

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• Well-distributed, quality statistics to promote good governance, through transparence and responsible management.

• Statistics to allow media, NGOs and citizens to evaluate the success of governmental policies.

• Statistics to make it possible to request accounts and put forth proposals.

• Statistics to promote Results-Based Management for development.

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• Supported by political heads, appropriated by the country (participation).

• Based on rigorous methodology (diagnostic, vision, strategic objectives, action plans).

• Aligned with development objectives, based on results, responding to user requests.

• Built from existing information and complying with international commitments.

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• Based on international norms.• Covers the NSS.• Integrates strengthening

capabilities.• Ensures priority State financing.• Serves as a reference framework

for external assistance.• Integrates a

monitoring/evaluation mechanism.

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• The importance of strong official commitment at the highest level for acknowledging statistics as a prerequisite for the development process.

• Training of a competent and dynamic team responsible for preparing the roadmap, preparing the NSDS and implementing it.

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• Identification and mobilisation of stakeholders who will be partners in the preparation and implementation of the NSDS.

• Creation of sectorial and transversal technical commissions including users in the context of a participative approach for analysis and proposals.

• The launch which will allow participants to understand the main stakes in developing statistics and which will involve users and NFPs.

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The diagnostic state of affairs report will include:• available statistical products: data; data analysis; distribution/availability of data and analyses. •degree of user satisfaction;• NSS capabilities: human resources; infrastructure equipment; information technology, means of functioning.

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• Determine the NSS missions.

• Formulate a medium-term (five years) and long-term (prospective) NSS vision.

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• Identify strategic objectives complying with the vision.

• Specify objectives for: (i) NSS governance; (ii) HR; (iii) physical insfrastructure; (iv) financing; (v) statistical policy (quality, distribution, confidentiality, norms, etc.); (vi) partners

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• Prepare action plan manuals, including financing means (budgeting): objectives and activities involved; responsibilities; calendar; necessary input; cost in the budget and external financing.

• Implementation: implementing a pilot process and monitoring/evaluation.

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a) Fragile States and Small Island Developing States: Adapt the NSDS approach to specific constraints of these countries: little human and financial resources; anonymity difficulties; fragility/vulnerability of the contexts.

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b) Sectorial strategies in developing statistics:A bottom-up approach. Preparation of a strategy by sector, then integration in a NSS.

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c) Infra-national and regional strategies: •Ensure statistical coordination and allocation of tasks among the local, regional and provincial/federal levels for programming, financing, norms and approval.•Implement “regional” statistical systems (e.g. EU) in connection with regional strategies for developing statistics, intended to respond to common political needs and comparability requirements.

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d) Freely available public data: Intended to promote transparence and trust. Public data is considered as public property available to all. This involves constraints (cost, legal framework, micro-data processing, etc.) for the public data producers.