“A World that Counts: Mobilising the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development”

“A World that Counts: Mobilising the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development”

In August 2014, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the establishment of the Independent Expert Advisory Group (IEAG) on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development which included experts from civil society, private sector, academia, governments and international organizations. The group was tasked to assess new opportunities linked to innovation, technical progress and the surge of new public and private data providers to support and complement conventional statistical systems.

In November 2014 the IEAG released their first report “A World that Counts – Mobilizing the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development”.

The report recommended the following urgent calls for action: 

  • Developing a global consensus on principles and standard
  • Share technology and innovations for the common good
  • New resources for capacity development
  • Leadership for coordination and mobilization and   
  • A quick win on Sustainable Development Goal data to demonstrate the feasibility of different approaches, experiment and innovate with partnerships and methods.

Three IEAG members, Amina Mohammed (Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning), co-chair of IEAG, Professor Enrico Giovannini (Professor of Economics and Statistics at University Tor Vergata) and Statistician-General for South Africa, Pail Lehohla, are participating in a data outreach program on 2-3 February 2015. The following events are planned:

  • A workshop at University of Western Cape (2 February 2015, 9h00-10h30)
  • ISIbalo annual lecture at University of Pretoria (2 February 2015, 17h30-19h00)
  • TNA Business Breakfast at Monte Casino (3 February 2015, 06h30-09h00)
  • Lunch time visit to Phomolong Secondary School in Tembisa (3 February 2015, 12h00 – 13h00)
  • Book Launch: The Emerging Data Revolution in Africa at Unisa (3 February 2015, 18h00 – 19h30)

Download full program here

If you want to attend any of the above events, please contact aruln@statssa.gov.za or telephone 082 880 1684