Lunsjmøte: Strengthening National-level Governance Data

Presentasjoner blir holdt av UNDP Oslo Governance Centre, tidligere leder for Sør-Afrikas statistikkbyrå Mark Orkin og leder for utviklingssamarbeid i Statistisk sentralbyrå, Bjørn K. Getz Wold. Ta med egen lunsj. Kaffe og te serveres.

Møtet holdes på engelsk, se mer informasjon under.

You are invited to a brown bag lunch hosted by Norad and the UNDP Oslo Governance Centre to discuss the opportunities to address the issue of strengthening national-level governance data.

There is currently a dearth of robust country level governance data in most countries receiving development aid. Governance data tells us something about the state of governance in a country, and is often discussed in terms of more specific areas of governance, such electoral systems, corruption, human rights, public service delivery and so on. The lack of data in many of these areas hinders efforts by both national governments and other stakeholders to improve performance management and assess progress in governance. The lack of accurate, timely and relevant governance data particularly affects the ability of citizens to hold their governments to account for their performance in this area.
 
The lack of data has also contributed to the extensive use of global comparative indices, and of proxy indicators, supported by weak data by international agencies. This tendency may easily result in assessments that are poorly contextualized, and also misses a key opportunity to strengthen countries’ permanent systems that supply, or should be supplying, data to inform the country’s own measurement of progress in governance. 

Programme

The session will begin with short presentations by UNDP’s Oslo Governance Centre and Dr Mark Orkin, who will briefly present lessons learned from applying a country-led approach to governance assessment in over 30 countries. They will sketch out the benefits of conducting a broad consultation to identify and develop good practice for institutionalization of governance data at the country level and potential ways forward. Dr Mark Orkin is former Head of Statistics South Africa and Chair OECD/DAC’s “Metagora” Project on Statistics.

Statistics Norway will then share its experience in supporting national statistical capacity. This will be followed by open discussion, with a focus on the potential for developing an international initiative to support improved quality and institutionalisation of governance data at the country level.

UNDP’s Global Programme on Governance Assessments seeks to assist developing countries in producing governance indicators that enable national stakeholders to better monitor performance toward democratic governance reforms.

This is an informal meeting open to all those working in a relevant field. Feel free to bring and eat your lunch!