Capacity Development

Events

Organized jointly by Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) and the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)

   

Concept note

Data and statistics are essential to understand the world around us. To adequately plan for and mitigate risk, data and statistics are even more critical. Data ecosystems and statistical systems need to be agile with resilient infrastructures that can quickly address the demands and swiftly respond to emerging situations. Countries are faced with a range of situations for which they need to be prepared. These situations cover natural disasters, health/disease outbreaks, financial collapse, and humanitarian affairs, among others. However, the nature of these situations are that they are unplanned, and countries need to have systems in place that can be activated when needed even if the situations causes serious disruptions in the operations of government agencies. This seminar focuses on how national statistical offices/systems respond to crises, highlighting the experience during the response to the global COVID-19 pandemic as well as other types of crises considered under the Sendai Framework. Data and statistics in response to humanitarian situations will also be briefly addressed.

A crisis or natural disaster call for governments to respond immediately. The role of the national statistical system in a natural disaster response situation varies by country, and sometimes, the statistical office might not be part of the response team. In the Sendai framework, adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, on March 18, 2015, a framework to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risks has been developed. It focuses on understanding disaster risk; strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk; investing in disaster reduction for resilience; and enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response. The framework sets out a pathway to reduce disaster risks and loss of lives, livelihoods, and health.

The 2019 "Recommendations on the Role of Official Statistics in Measuring Hazardous Events and Disasters," adopted by the Conference of European Statisticians, address the role of NSOs and the wider NSS in providing information related to hazardous events and disasters. The Recommendations identify coordination between the national statistical system and other national agencies working on disaster management as a key component of improving the role of the NSO.

The recent (on-going) global pandemic has reinforced the urgent need for timely, disaggregated data and statistics and brought it into the limelight. Governments fighting the devastating pandemic's impact on their population and struggling to address the destructive effects on their economies needed more timely and disaggregated data to understand how the virus was spreading, plan their response and allocate resources. As the world begins to build back better, it is essential to have adequate data and statistics to plan the return. Building solid, interoperable systems will allow for more integrated, and often localized, responses to crises.

In these times of unprecedented challenges, many national statistical offices have stepped up and risen to the occasion, providing the much-needed data and collaborating effectively with other parts of the governments and other stakeholders. For example, throughout the pandemic, understanding the distribution of cases has been an indispensable tool in understanding the underlying drivers of the disease and who is most at risk. Data on the socio-economic impact has been essential to design preventative measures, develop support programmes and plan the recovery. At the same time, the crisis has posed many challenges to the ability of National Statistical Offices to run key statistical programmes and produce and disseminate the data needed by policy and decision makers. Moreover, the pandemic struck at a moment when many countries were already dealing with serious resource constraints and facing urgent calls from all sectors of society to address serious gaps in data needed to launch a decade of action with effective, targeted policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Examining the response to recent natural disasters and health crises will provide examples of good practices and lessons learnt for the global statistical community to adapt and adjust national statistical systems and coordination within countries to prepare for a better response to the next disaster. Some of the innovations used to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic can be incorporated into business as usual so that national statistical systems are ready for the next crisis. Furthermore, some of the innovations, such as new initiatives focusing on use of mobile data and geospatial information, can be used to address other urgent data needs. Fully engaging national registries, linking and using administrative data, and building stronger collaborations between the national statistics office and other national agencies all contribute to a resilient, agile system ready to face the next crisis.

This event provides the opportunity to look at the challenges caused by the increased data demands amidst serious disruptions of statistical operations. By focusing on recent disasters as well as the pandemic, the responses at the national, regional and global level will be examined to identify solutions that can be applied as countries plan and implement their recovery.

Examining the statistical and data community's response to crises can contribute to building stronger data systems that can produce timely, disaggregated quality data to serve the public good, and that are agile and resilient in times of crises and disasters.


Day 1 - 8:30 - 11:00 and 15:30-18:30, 31 August KOREA

8:30-8:50, 31 August - Seoul
1:30-1:50, 31 August - Geneva
12:30-12:50, 31 August - London
19:30-19:50, 30 August - NY
Opening
  • Remarks by Dr. Keunkwan Ryu, Commissioner, KOSTAT
  • Remarks by UN Statistics Division, Stefan Schweinfest, Director
8:50-9:20, 31 August - Seoul
1:50-2:20, 31 August - Geneva
12:50-1:20, 31 August - London
19:50-20:20, 30 August - NY
Keynote 1

Ms. Samira Asma, Assistant Director-General, for Data, Analytics and Delivery, WHO

9:20-11:00, 31 August - Seoul
2:20-4:00, 31 August - Geneva
1:20-3:00, 31 August - London
20:20-22:00, 30 August - NY
Session 1 - The Role of Data, the Statistical Community and the National Ecosystem: Examining international frameworks, recommendations, and classifications
This session grounds the role of integrated data to inform decision-making for improving disaster-resilience and response. It highlights several actors within the global ecosystem working to achieve the overarching aims of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, highlighting the interlinked nature vis-à-vis these global agendas, underscoring the need for coordinated action. In examining the importance of data to support the goals and targets and Sendai Framework, there is a need for the National Statistical System, National Disaster Risk Reduction Offices, National Geospatial Information Agencies and other stakeholders within the national environment to coordinate their actions to simultaneously improve disaster-resilience, but also strengthen capacities regarding the monitoring and measurement of risk. Therefore, in discussing the critical importance of establishing building agile and resilient data and statistical systems that can respond effectively in times of crises.
Moderator: Ms. Paloma Merodio, Vice President of the Subsystem of Geographical Information, Environment, Territorial and Urban Planning, INEGI, Mexico
  • Ms. Galimira Markova, UNDRR
  • Ms. Rikke Munk Hansen, Officer-in-Charge, Statistics Division, UNESCAP
  • Mr. Oliver Chinganya, Director, African Centre for Statistics, UNECA
  • Dr. Yong Chan Jung, Executive Director, ICT Data Science Research Division, KISDI (Korea Information Society Development Institute)
  • Ms. Ola Awad, President, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
Discussion
15:30-16:00, 31 August - Seoul
8:30-9:00, 31 August - Geneva
7:30-8:00, 31 August - London
2:30-3:00, 31 August - NY
Keynote 1 (replayed)

Ms. Samira Asma, Assistant Director-General, for Data, Analytics and Delivery, WHO

16:00-17:15, 31 August - Seoul
9:00-10:15, 31 August - Geneva
8:00-9:15, 31 August - London
3:00-4:15, 31 August - NY
Session 2 - Grounding the Role of Integrated Data to Inform Decision-Making for Disaster Risk, Resilience and Response
What data and statistics are needed to inform the response to an emergent disaster? How can data inform disaster risk and reduction? Where does the data come from? What if the official statistics do not fully address the data needs? What if statistical operations are seriously disrupted? In this session, the role of data in understanding and mitigating risk and planning for recovery will be examined. Data is needed by policy makers to plan the distribution resources and where to focus relief response to most efficiently address the emerging needs.
Moderator: Ms. Kyungsoon CHOI, Director of International Cooperation Division of Statistics Korea
  • Mr. Michael Nagy, Statistician, UNECE
  • Mr. Andrew Kruczkiewicz, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre
  • Mr. Mark Sowden, Government Statistician and Chief Executive, Statistics New Zealand
  • Ms. Aina Saetre, Statistics and Data Analysis Officer and coordinator of the Expert Group on Refugee and IDP Statistics, UNHCR
  • Mr. Imam Machdi, Deputy Chief Statistician for Methodology and Statistical Information, BPS-Statistics Indonesia
Discussion
17:15-18:30, 31 August - Seoul
10:15-11:30, 31 August - Geneva
9:15-10:30, 31 August - London
4:15-5:30, 31 August - NY
Session 3 - National experiences from COVID-19 - Designing risk and reduction measures, relief plans and fostering recovery
In this session, national experiences from COVID-19 and other crises will highlight how the national statistical systems helped to manage the crisis by providing data and statistics and to develop relief plans. The role of the NSO in the government responses to the pandemic will be reviewed. Statisticians around the world have been involved in decision making processes in efforts to address and mitigate the impact of the ways. Ways the NSS can contribute to the recovery will also be addressed.
Moderator: Ms. Francesca Perucci, Assistant Direcor, UNSD
  • Mr. Juan Daniel Oviedo Arango, Director General, Departemento Administrativo Nacional De Estadistica, Colombia
  • Ms. Mercy Kanyuka, Commissioner of Statistics, Malawi
  • Mr. Asaph Young CHUN, Director-General of Statistics Research Institute, Korea
  • Ms. Ruth Studley and Ms. Esther Sutherland, ONS, UK
  • Mr. Mark Hereward, Chief, Data & Analytics Section, UNICEF
Discussion

Day 2 - 8:30 - 11:30 and 15:30-18:30, 1 September KOREA

8:30-9:00, 1 Sept - Seoul
1:30-2:00, 1 Sept - Geneva
12:30-1:00, 1 Sept - London
19:30-20:00, 31 August - NY
Keynote 2

Ms. Shaida Badiee, Managing Director of Open Data Watch

9:00-10:15, 1 Sept - Seoul
2:00-3:15, 1 Sept - Geneva
1:00-2:15, 1 Sept - London
20:15-21:15, 31 August - NY
Session 4 - Part A- Impact of disasters on statistical operations: how have the national statistical systems responded?
In this session (Part A), examples of the impact of crisis situations on statistical operations, and how the national statistical systems have responded will be given. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has presented the world with a unique experiment testing the need for instant data and statistics. Some key findings from the World Bank/UNSD survey of NSOs will be presented. Sixty-two per cent of NSOs around the world have launched new data collection efforts to monitor the impact of COVID-19 and over 50 per cent have set up platforms to serve public data needs during the pandemic. Existing data tools have been repurposed to fulfill the immediate needs, including phone and web surveys, better use of administrative data and integration of data from social media, phone call records and crowdsourcing. This has involved collaborations between statistics offices and other parts of government, such as ministries of health, and also partnerships outside of government between statistics offices, the private sector and academia.
Moderator: Mr. Grant Cameron, Director, SDSN/Trends
  • Ms. Francesca Perucci, Assistant Director, UNSD
  • Ms. Sandra Quijad, Director of the National Institute of Statistics of Chile
  • Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, Director General, General Statistics Office of Viet Nam
  • Ms. Carol Coy, Director General of Statistics Institute of Jamaica
Discussion
10:15-11:30, 1 Sept - Seoul
3:15-4:30, 1 Sept - Geneva
2:15-3:30, 1 Sept - London
21:15-22:30, 31 August - NY
Session 5 - Part A- Fostering the transformation we need to respond to the new challenges: new data solutions and partnerships
The global data and statistical community have launched several initiatives to offer support and access to tools and information as National Statistical Offices were navigating through the crisis. There is an opportunity to retain some of these changes and build on the lessons learnt throughout the pandemic, accelerating a transformation of the role of the NSO that was already ongoing and leveraging the power of new data solutions.
Moderator: Ms. Jenna Slotin, Senior Director of Policy, GPSDD
  • Mr. Grant Cameron, Director, SDSN/Trends
  • Mr. Rolando Ocampo, Director, Statistics Division, ECLAC
  • (TBC) Bangladesh, Chief Statistician
  • (TBC)
Discussion
15:30-16:00, 1 Sept - Seoul
8:30-9:00, 1 Sept - Geneva
7:30-8:00, 1 Sept - London
2:30-3:00, 1 Sept - NY
Keynote 2 (replayed)

Ms. Shaida Badiee, Managing Director of Open Data Watch

16:00-17:15, 1 Sept - Seoul
9:00-10:15, 1 Sept - Geneva
8:00-9:15, 1 Sept - London
3:00-4:15, 1 Sept - NY
Session 4 - Part B- Impact of disasters on statistical operations: how have the national statistical systems responded?
In this session (Part B), examples of the impact of crisis situations on statistical operations, and how the national statistical systems have responded will be given. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has presented the world with a unique experiment testing the need for instant data and statistics. Some key findings from the World Bank/UNSD survey of NSOs will be presented. Sixty-two per cent of NSOs around the world have launched new data collection efforts to monitor the impact of COVID-19 and over 50 per cent have set up platforms to serve public data needs during the pandemic. Existing data tools have been repurposed to fulfill the immediate needs, including phone and web surveys, better use of administrative data and integration of data from social media, phone call records and crowdsourcing. This has involved collaborations between statistics offices and other parts of government, such as ministries of health, and also partnerships outside of government between statistics offices, the private sector and academia.
Moderator: Mr. Steve MacFeely, Director of Data and Analytics, WHO
  • Mr. Alberto Zezza, World Bank - Rome
  • Dr. Edwin Horlings, Senior Statistical Researcher, Statistics Netherlands
  • Ms. Jisook YOON, Director of Big data and statistics Division of Statistics Korea
  • Mr. Shaher Khalaf AL Shawabkah, Director General, Department of Statistics, Jordan, Chief Statistician
  • Mr. Risenga Butler Maluleke, Statistician-General, Statistics South Africa
Discussion
17:15-18:30, 1 Sept - Seoul
10:15-11:30, 1 Sept - Geneva
9:15-10:30, 1 Sept - London
4:15-5:30, 1 Sept - NY
Session 5 - Part B- Fostering the transformation we need to respond to the new challenges: new data solutions and partnerships
The global data and statistical community have launched several initiatives to offer support and access to tools and information as National Statistical Offices were navigating through the crisis. There is an opportunity to retain some of these changes and build on the lessons learnt throughout the pandemic, accelerating a transformation of the role of the NSO that was already ongoing and leveraging the power of new data solutions.
Moderator: Ms. Claire Melamed, Chief Executive Officer, GPSDD
  • Mr. Alex Caldas, UN Environment and Chair UN Geospatial Network (UNGN)
  • Ms. Rikke Munk Hansen, Officer-in-Charge, Statistics Division, UNESCAP
  • Mr. Kevin McCormack, Central Statistics Office, Ireland
  • Mr. Yusuf Murangwa, Director General, National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda
Discussion

Day 3 - 8:30 - 11:30 and 15:30-17:45, 2 September KOREA

8:30-9:00, 2 Sept - Seoul
1:30-2:00, 2 Sept - Geneva
12:30-1:00, 2 Sept - London
19:30-20:00, 1 Sept - NY
Keynote 3

Prof. Samuel Annim, Government Statistician of Ghana Statistical Service

9:00-10:15, 2 Sept - Seoul
2:00-3:15, 2 Sept - Geneva
1:00-2:15, 2 Sept - London
20:15-21:15, 1 Sept - NY
Session 6 - Building resilient data and statistical systems: what have we learnt from our response to the current crisis?
In Session 6 speakers will address how the statistical and data community can move towards stronger data systems that can produce timely, disaggregated quality data to serve the public good, and that are agile and resilient in times of crises and disasters.
Moderator: Mr. Craig Hammer, World Bank
  • Mr. André Loranger, Assistant Chief Statistician of the Strategic Data Management, Methods and Analysis field, Statistics Canada
  • Ms. Claudia Wells, Development Initiatives
  • Mr. Claire Dennis S. Mapa, National Statistician, Philippine Statistics Authority
  • Mr. Keunkwan RYU, Commissioner of Statistics Korea
  • Ms. Malaefono Taua-Faasalaina, Government Statistician, Samoa Bureau of Statistics
  • Ms. Angela Me, UNODC/CCSA
Discussion
10:15-11:30, 2 Sept - Seoul
3:15-4:30, 2 Sept - Geneva
2:15-3:30, 2 Sept - London
21:15-22:30, 1 Sept - NY
Roundtable
In this moderated round table discussion, members will address the main messages for national statistical offices on integrated data for understanding and mitigating risk. Examples from the ongoing pandemic and the main lessons learned can help to better prepare for future challenges. The outcome of the discussion and the conference will be included as resource materials for the Statistical Commission.
Moderator: Ms. Rikke Munk Hansen, Officer-in-Charge, Statistics Division, UNESCAP
  • Ms. Francesca Perucci
  • Ms. Jenna Slotin, GPSDD
  • Ms. Paloma Merodio, INEGI, Mexico
  • Mr. Juan Daniel Oviedo Arango, Director General, Departemento Administrativo Nacional De Estadistica, Colombia
  • Korea
Discussion
15:30-16:00, 2 Sept - Seoul
8:30-9:00, 2 Sept - Geneva
7:30-8:00, 2 Sept - London
2:30-3:00, 2 Sept - NY
Keynote 2 (replayed)

Prof. Samuel Annim, Government Statistician of Ghana Statistical Service

16:00-17:15, 2 Sept - Seoul
9:00-10:15, 2 Sept - Geneva
8:00-9:15, 2 Sept - London
3:00-4:15, 2 Sept - NY
Session 7 - Addressing the new technical and financial needs and next steps
The crisis has also brought to the forefront the need to invest in the modernization of data collection, processing, and dissemination infrastructure, and to upgrade the skill sets of staff working in statistical organizations. Low and middle-income countries in particular are still constrained by inadequate ICT equipment and infrastructure.
Moderator: Ms. Claire Melamed, GPSDD
  • Mr. Johannes Jutting, Paris21
  • Mr. Craig Hammer, World Bank
  • Ms. Jorun Sigrid Nossum, NORAD
  • Ms. Rachael Beaven, FCDO, UK
  • Mr. Guilherme Miranda Dutra, Methodology Officer of the UNODC CoE
Discussion
17:15-17:30, 2 Sept - Seoul
10:15-10:30, 2 Sept - Geneva
9:15-9:30, 2 Sept - London
4:15-4:30, 2 Sept - NY
Closing
In general, the process of modernization and transformation of national statistical offices and systems has accelerated and many of the lessons that have been learned during the crisis have the potential to be long lasting solutions. This event provides the opportunity to look at the challenge caused by the increased data demands amidst serious disruptions of statistical operations caused by the pandemic; review the responses at the national, regional and global level; and identify solutions that can be applied as countries plan and implement their recovery.
  • Ms. Francesca Perucci, Assistant Director, UNSD
  • Mr. Kwang-sup KIM, Vice Commissioner of Statistics Korea

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