Statistics on Human Development: Challenges for the HDRsNHDRs

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Statistics on Human Development Challenges for
the HDRs/NHDRs
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Why Statistic?

• We cannot, with our own eyes and ears, perceive
  more than a minute sample of human affairs, even
  in our own country and a very random sample at
  that. So we rely on statistics in order to build
  and maintain our own model of the world. The
  data that are available mould our perceptions.
• Dudley Seers, 1983

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Why Statistics?

• as long as we are unable to put our arguments
  into figures, the voice of our science, although
  occasionally it may help to dispel gross errors,
  will never be heard by practical men. They are,
  by instinct, econometricians all of them, in
  their distrust of anything not amenable to exact
  proof.
• J.A. Shumpeter 1933
• The common sense of econometrics. Econometrica
  15-12

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Statistics is the basis for -

• Understanding the state/trends of human
  development
• Developing policies and evaluating
• policy impacts
• Informing public debates, raising
• awareness, generating political
• will and pressure for action
• gt The MDGs long term demand international
  mobilization

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Profile of statistics in HDRs/NHDRs

• Global HDR 2004 first week
• download w/ statistics near 4.9 mil.
• stat contents separately 250,000
• press coverage over 75 on HDI and stat
• Regional/national reports

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Statistics in HDRs/NHDRs

• The Human Development Indices
• HDI, GDI, GEM, HPI
• ? League tables, Door to the house tools
  for advocacy
• The human development indicators
• ? Human development accounting thematic
  statistics -
• inputs/outcomes in education, health,
• economic development, personal security,
• gender, human rights
• Empirical evidence for thematic analyses

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Sources of data for HDRs/NHDRs

• Global reports
• International data series
• Should be -
• Comparable
• Reliable
• Timely
• Trends
• National data on disparity/inequality (e.g.,
  NHDRs)
• Statistical evidence in other sources
• National reports National data intl?

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Statistical challenges

• Task Monitoring human development across
  countries/sub-populations within countries
• Challenges
• Serious data gaps in basic areas
• Lack of disaggregated data
• gt Statistical capacity building national
  international (the MDG context)

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Statistical challenges (continued)

• Task Monitoring human development across
  countries/sub-populations within countries
• Challenges
• Lack of comparability across countries
• Inconsistency within countries between national
  and international series
• gt Capacity building developing and adopting
  international standards improving coordination

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Statistical challenges (continued)

• Task Facilitating policy discussions and
  formulation
• Challenge strike balance between effective
  advocacy and credible use of statistics
• Responsibility/accountability
• Principles and standards in selection, use and
  presentation of statistics

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Statistical challenges (continued)

• Task Promoting the development and strategic use
  of new human development measures / innovative
  presentation
• Challenge Keep a balance between encouraging
  innovation and maintaining basic
  conceptual/methodological rigour and
  professionalism
• gtGuidelines and standards training

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http//hdr.undp.org/statistics