|
INTRODUCTION
1. The biennial work programme of ESCAP
is usually reviewed and endorsed by the Commission
in the year prior to the biennium, after which
it is submitted for the General Assembly's approval
later in the same year. The preparation
of the 2000-2001 programme budget commenced
in October 1998; and the secretariat proposal
will be considered by the Commission in April
1999. This paper contains the secretariat's
indicative proposals for the Statistics subprogramme
for 2000-2001. It also contains a synopsis
of the medium-term plan, 1998-2001, which the
2000-2001 programme builds on, and the status
of implementation of the ongoing biennial work
programme.
I. MEDIUM-TERM PLAN,
1998-2001
2. The work programme to be prepared for
the next biennium will be guided by the medium-term
plan, 1998-2001. A proposed revision of
the plan was adopted by the Committee for Programme
and Coordination in June 1998 and will be considered
by the General Assembly later in 1998.
The revision would streamline the programme
structure of ESCAP from the existing ten subprogrammes
to seven, as follows:
| Subprogramme
1 |
Regional
economic cooperation |
| Subprogramme
2 |
Development
research and policy analysis |
| Subprogramme
3 |
Social
development |
| Subprogramme
4 |
Population
and rural and urban development |
| Subprogramme
5 |
Environment
and natural resources development |
| Subprogramme
6 |
Transport,
communications, tourism and infrastructure
development |
| Subprogramme
7 |
Statistics |
The Commission will continue to focus on three
major themes: (a) regional economic cooperation,
(b) environment and sustainable development
and (c) poverty alleviation. The Commission
will also work towards improving intraregional
and interregional infrastructure facilities
and services and strengthening statistical capacities
for informed policy-making, planning and programme
implementation. Priority will be given
to assisting the least developed, landlocked
and island developing countries, and the Central
Asian republics. Economic and technical
cooperation among developing countries (ECDC/TCDC),
as well as among subregional groupings, will
be further promoted.
3. By the end of the period covered by the
medium-term plan, 1998-2001, it is expected
that the Commission will have achieved the following:
- Gained the active and wider
participation of the countries in the region
in the development and implementation of regional
programmes as mandated by the Commission;
- Accelerated follow-up to
global conferences at the national level supported
by the subregional and regional operational
activities of ESCAP;
- Provided the essential regional
link between the global and country levels
of economic and social development programmes
that would build up country-level capacity
for development;
- Facilitated the sharing
of experiences among countries at varying
levels of development;
- Maximized the Commission's
comparative advantage as a centre for policy
research, analysis and information for the
benefit of its member governments;
- Completed analysis of the
origins and effects of the current economic
and monetary turmoil and formulated recommendations
on ways and means for economies to avail themselves
of international capital flows, while minimizing
the attendant risks.
4. The proposed revised medium-term plan
text relating to the Statistics subprogramme
is given in annex I. Although the text
is, as indicated, already before the General
Assembly, the Committee may wish to review it
from the perspective of providing preliminary
ideas and proposals for the next medium-term
plan commencing in 2002.
II. 1998-1999 PROGRAMME
OF WORK IN STATISTICS
5. The 1998-1999 programme of work for
ESCAP, under which Statistics constitutes subprogramme
15.9, was endorsed by the Commission at its
fifty-third session in April 1997, and subsequently
by the General Assembly in December 1997.
At its fifty-fourth session in April 1998, the
Commission reviewed and endorsed the proposed
programme changes for 1998-1999. For the
Statistics subprogramme, the proposed changes
were minimal in substance and in terms of their
implications for regular budget (RB) resources.
The revised programme of work for the current
biennium is given in annex II, together with
information on the status of implementation
of the activities and outputs as at 30 September
1998.
6. Owing to a high vacancy rate among
the Professional posts of the Statistics Division,
the secretariat adopted a strategy of redistributing
resources as flexibly as possible to address
the priority needs. The personnel resource
constraints and other factors beyond the control
of the Division required frequent review and
revision of the schedule of activities.
While a high proportion of the major outputs
and activities were delivered, the absence of
personnel and other resources adversely affected
developments in some areas. These include
distribution of data through electronic media
and the operationalization of the ESCAP Statistical
Information System (ESIS).
7. The Committee is requested to give
its views on any changes which might be required
in the work programme for 1999.
III. 2000-2001 PROGRAMME
OF WORK IN STATISTICS
Subprogramme 7: Statistics
Responsible division: Statistics
Allocated staff resources:
|
Period |
RB Professional posts |
RB advisory posts |
XB advisory posts (outposted) |
GS posts (RB+XB) |
| At the level of 1998-1999 |
8 |
1 |
3 |
17 |
| Expected 2000-2001 |
9 |
1 |
2/3 |
17 |
8. The 2000-2001 work programme of ESCAP
in the field of statistics will clearly be a
function of both the regular budget resources
available and the extrabudgetary resources that
the secretariat may be able to mobilize.
In terms of regular budget resources, particularly
personnel resources, the Statistics Division
has benefited from the reform and redeployment
process in ESCAP by gaining a post of Statistician
at the P4 level.1
This additional Professional post, the first
resource increase in over 20 years, will help
to strengthen the future efforts of the Division.
Currently, however, in addition to recruiting
for the new post, the Division is still attempting
to fill two existing vacancies, one each in
the Statistics Development and Statistical Information
Services sections.
9. As regards extrabudgetary and other
staff resources, the posts of three advisers
funded by the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) remain in the Statistics Division in
terms of budgetary allocation, but physically
they are located with the UNFPA Country Support
Teams situated in Bangkok, Kathmandu and Suva.
The secretariat has informally learned that
two posts in Suva, one on population statistics
and the other concerning population policy,
will be merged into one post. It is not
certain whether the post will remain with ESCAP
or not, but in any event the availability of
advisory services in demographic statistics
to Pacific island countries may well diminish.
The Committee is requested to note this likely
development and give its views.
10. As an initial step towards drafting
the 2000-2001 programme of work in statistics,
the secretariat has prepared outlines on the
objectives of the subprogramme, the users and
anticipated usage of its outputs and services,
and the programme areas and various elements
within them. These broad proposals are
given below for comments by the Committee.
They necessarily form a broader range of topics
than is likely to be implemented, in order to
facilitate the mobilization of extrabudgetary
funds. Annex III provides the annotated
indicative work programme to assist deliberations
by the Committee. In that regard, the
Committee may wish to note that several outputs
and activities in the statistics programme of
work are recurrent in nature, including coordination,
the sessions of the Committee and (de facto)
the Working Group of Statistical Experts, the
statistical /... publications and the newsletters.
By contrast, the focus and emphases of the operational
activities, that is, technical meetings, training
and advisory services, vary according to the
priorities determined by the Commission and
the Committee. They are also influenced
by developments taking place in the international
statistical environment.
11. At its last session, the Committee
identified a number of high priority areas,
including implementation of the 1993 System
of National Accounts, pilot studies and other
work on the statistical implications of the
global summit conferences held at Cairo, Copenhagen
and Beijing, and services statistics.
Among the other priority areas that were identified
were the informal sector, price statistics,
and environment statistics. Gender statistics
was noted as deserving continued priority attention.
The Working Group of Statistical Experts, in
looking ahead to the 2000-2001 programme, endorsed
additional priority areas identified by the
Bureau: poverty statistics; information dissemination,
including mode of dissemination, sharing of
microdata and confidentiality issues; review
of statistical legislation in view of changing
circumstances; data achieving; pricing of information;
and coordination, in particular in decentralized
systems. Despite the forthcoming increase
in Professional resources in the Statistics
subprogramme, the above represents a long list
of priorities and it is doubtful that the secretariat
could do justice to all of them. The Committee
is therefore requested to give its views on
the continued validity of the priority attached
to each of these areas and to identify any other
topics of emerging importance in the coming
biennium. With regard to the programme
structure given in tabular format in section
3 below, the secretariat is also seeking the
Committee's recommendations on the order of
priority to be attached to the programme elements
(7.1.1 to 7.2.2), as well as to the area of
focus within each element.
1. Subprogramme
objectives
12. As currently foreseen by the secretariat,
the subprogramme will continue to facilitate
the development of sustainable national statistical
capabilities in the Asian and Pacific region
and to disseminate comparable social, economic
and other relevant statistics on the regional
members and associate members of the Commission.
The role of the Committee on Statistics in directing
the subprogramme and in promoting regional statistical
development is expected to be central.
In implementing the subprogramme, the secretariat
will take due account of the different stages
of statistical development among countries of
the region, paying particular attention to the
needs of the least developed countries and the
disadvantaged economies in transition.
Greater cooperation among countries and coordination
of inputs from statistically advanced countries
will be utilized in promoting cutting-edge methodological
and technological developments and exchange
of technical information. Close collaboration
and cooperation will be maintained with relevant
regional, subregional and international organizations
to promote improved coordination of technical
assistance in statistics.
13. In addition to improving national statistical
capabilities for the purposes of informed policy-making,
planning and programme implementation, attention
will be paid to the availability and improved
quality of data needed for monitoring the achievement
of goals of recent major international and regional
conferences. The use of proven methodologies
for data collection, processing and analysis
will be promoted, along with the greater utilization
of statistics. Emphasis will continue
to be placed on skills development and sharing
of experiences and technical information through
advisory services and technical meetings.
Statistical training will be promoted, especially
through support to the statistical training
programmes of the Statistical Institute for
Asia and the Pacific (SIAP). The secretariat
will initiate and coordinate at the regional
level the development and revision of statistical
standards and their eventual implementation.
14. In the area of statistical information,
attention will be paid to widening the scope
and improving the accessibility and international
comparability of the statistical information
being compiled and published by the secretariat.
The subprogramme will strive to enhance statistical
support for analytical work undertaken within
the secretariat, including that for the Economic
and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific.
Optimal use of information technology in the
collection, storage and provision of data will
be pursued.
15. Improvement of information technology
application in statistics in particular, and
the public sector in general, will be pursued
by organizing group training activities, conducting
studies, issuing guidelines and disseminating
technical information.
2. Users
and anticipated usage of outputs and services
16. The main users will be the national
statistical offices, planning and monitoring
agencies and other departments in the government,
senior and middle-level statistical officials,
and information technology specialists of the
countries of the region.
17. The subprogramme's outputs will also
be used by intergovernmental organizations;
academic and research centres; non-governmental
organizations (NGOs); the private sector; and
individual researchers.
18. Users will be reached through the
intergovernmental, technical and expert group
meetings organized by ESCAP; the dissemination
of information via publications and/or the Internet;
the conduct of training activities; and the
provision of advisory services. The outputs
of the statistics subprogramme will be utilized
by the national statistical agencies, and other
departments and ministries, in improving their
methods and procedures, application of standards,
international comparability of statistics, information
systems and for upgrading the skills of their
personnel. Statistical training centres,
research and academic institutions and NGOs
will benefit from the technical information
and materials emerging from various activities.
The internationally comparable data available
from the secretariat are in demand by a wide
range of data users, from individuals to international
agencies. In addition, a large number
of libraries around the world have ESCAP statistical
publications in their holdings.
3. Programme
structure
|
Programme areas/programme elements
|
Professional staff resource allocations
|
Priority |
|
RB (work months) |
XB (work months)a/
|
| 7.1
Statistical development |
| 7.1.1 |
Promotion, coordination and management
of statistical development activities
in the region |
48 |
- |
. |
| 7.1.2 |
Development of economic,
social, demographic, environment and other
areas of statistics 84 (96, of which 72
outposted to UNFPA/Country Support Teams) |
84 |
(96, of which 72 outposted
to UNFPA.Country Support Teams) |
. |
| 7.1.3 |
Improvement and coordination
of public sector computerization and application
of information techn7.1.1ology |
24 |
- |
. |
| 7.2
Statistical information services |
| 7.2.1 |
Collection and dissemination
of basic data in recurrent publications |
30 |
- |
. |
| 7.2.2 |
Development and maintenance
of ESCAP statistical information system |
30 |
- |
. |
a/
Including the Regional Adviser on National Accounts.
4. Coordination
19. Activities under the Statistics subprogramme
will be carried out in close cooperation with
regional and international organizations having
an interest in statistical development in the
region and in the collection of data on its
constituent countries or areas. The areas
of coordination will include technical assistance
activities; statistical research and development;
statistical training; statistical organization,
management and policy; development of statistical
standards and classifications, and implementation
of standards such as the System of National
Accounts; development of economic, social, demographic,
environment and other fields of statistics;
statistical development in the Pacific, in transition
economies, and in least developed and landlocked
countries; statistical data collection, processing
and dissemination; and management of information
technology applications. 5. Results
envisaged at the end of the biennium
20. Through its statistical development
activities, the secretariat intends to strengthen
the statistical infrastructure in the countries
of the region, improve the quality and international
comparability of statistics, and promote the
application of new techniques. The meetings
organized in various fields of statistics will
enhance statistical capabilities in the region
through improved exchange of information on
and experiences in statistical work and methods
among the countries of the region. They
will also foster increased use of TCDC modalities.
The advisory services rendered will strengthen
the basic foundation of the national statistical
systems by concentrating on specific areas,
such as national accounts and information technology
applications.
21. The activities of the Statistics subprogramme
will provide opportunities for the countries
of the region to participate in the development
of international statistical standards and classifications,
so that provision is made to cater to their
conditions and needs, facilitating subsequent
implementation of such standards. The
subprogramme will also help in promoting the
optimal use of statistics collected by countries,
including the development of standardized statistical
indicators that are relevant to the themes of
the Commission and the priorities identified
by the recent major regional and international
conferences.
22. The information made available to
the Committee on Statistics and the Commission,
such as that on the statistical activities in
the region and the work programmes of different
organizations, will contribute to the strengthening
of statistical coordination in the region, particularly
in the areas of technical assistance and data
collection from the members and associate members
of ESCAP.
23. The public sector computerization
activities are expected to sensitize government
officials to the importance of adopting information
technology and to provide them with conceptual
tools and models in the effective application
of that technology.
24. The statistical information made available
on the countries of the region will facilitate
the analytical, policy formulation and monitoring
work carried out in countries, international
organizations and the secretariat. The
data released will ultimately contribute to
a better understanding of regional economic
and social issues, and their comparisons across
countries.
IV. POINTS
FOR DISCUSSION
25. To recapitulate, the Committee is
invited:
- To review the statistics
component of the medium-term plan, 1998-2001,
and provide its preliminary proposals for
the next medium-term plan beginning 2002;
- To give its views on any
changes that may be deemed necessary to the
1998-1999 work programme in statistics for
the endorsement of the Commission at its fifty-fifth
session in April 1999;
- To provide guidelines on
the orientation, objectives, and priority
activities and outputs of the 2000-2001 programme
of work in statistics, which will be presented
to the fifty-fifth session of the Commission
for endorsement.
Annex I
PROPOSED REVISION OF
THE MEDIUM-TERM PLAN, 1998-2001
Subprogramme 15.7
Statistics
15.21 The objectives of the subprogramme,
which is implemented by the Statistics Division,
are:
- To strengthen the capacity
of the countries of the region in achieving
or making further progress towards sustained
national statistical capabilities for the
purposes of informed policy-making, planning,
programme implementation and monitoring of
progress. Special efforts will be made
to improve the statistical capability of the
least developed, landlocked and island developing
countries, as well as economies in transition,
to identify, collect, process, analyse and
utilize data needed for their economic and
social development, thereby strengthening
their information and statistical base. In
the implementation of the subprogramme, greater
recognition will be given to the growing competencies
of the countries themselves in contributing
to capability-building activities;
- To widen the scope and improve
the accessibility and international comparability
of the statistical information compiled and
disseminated by the secretariat, taking into
account user demands. To that end, the focus
will be on greater use of electronic technology
in the acquisition and provision of data and
information, and on reducing the response
burden of countries;
- To strengthen the role of
the countries of the region in the development
of international standards, the use of improved
methodology for data collection, processing
and analysis, and the greater utilization
of statistics. In line with the recommendations
of the United Nations Statistical Commission,
the secretariat will initiate and coordinate
at the regional level the development, revision,
testing and implementation of selected international
statistical standards and, where necessary,
their adaptation to meet the conditions and
needs of the countries of the region;
- To enhance the understanding
of the role of information technology and
promote the applications of that technology,
as well as information resource management
in the region, especially in the public sector.
Legislative mandates
- Economic and Social
Council resolutions
- 1993/5 of 12 July
1993: 1993 System of National Accounts
- 1995/7 of 19 July
1995: 2000 World Population and Housing
Census Programme
- Commission resolution
- 246 (XLII) of 1
May 1986: Statistical services in Asia
and the Pacific
Annex II
SUBPROGRAMME 15.9: STATISTICS PROGRAMME
OF WORK, 1998-1999, AND STATUS OF IMP Status
of implementation LEMENTATION
| Activities |
. |
Status of
implementation |
| I.
Servicing of intergovernmental and expert
bodies (RB) |
1.
.
(a)
.
9-1-101
.
.
9-1-102
.
.
(b)
.
9-1-103
. |
Substantive
servicing of meetings:
.
Commission:
.
Plenary and committees (1998) (8 meetings:
6 plenary and 2 committee sessions)
.
Plenary and committees (1999) (8 meetings:
6 plenary and 2 committee sessions)
.
Committee on Statistics:
.
Plenary (1998) (6 meetings)
. |
.
.
.
.
Servicing of fifty-fourth session, Bangkok,
April 1998
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The eleventh session is scheduled to be
held in November 1998 in Bangkok. |
2.
.
(a)
.
9-1-201
9-1-202 |
Parliamentary
documentation:
.
Commission:
.
Report on issues related to statistics (1998)
Report of the Committee on Statistics (1999) |
.
.
.
.
Report submitted to the fifty-fourth session
. |
(b)
.
9-1-203
9-1-204
9-1-205
9-1-206
.
9-1-207
. |
Committee
on Statistics:
.
Report of the Working Group of Statistical
Experts (1998)
Report on selected issues on statistical
development (1998)
Report on issues in computerization in the
public sector (1998)
Report on an integrated presentation of
work programmes on statistics in the region
(1998)
Report on activities of the secretariat
since the tenth session of the Committee
(1998) |
.
.
)
)
) In progress
)
)
. |
3.
.
9-1-301 |
Ad
hoc expert groups and related preparatory
work:
.
Working Group Meeting of Statistical Experts
(1999) |
.
.
To be scheduled by the Committee |
| II.
Other substantive activities (RB/XB) |
1.
.
9-2-101 |
Mandated
recurrent publications:
.
Statistical Newsletter (4 in 1998, 4 in
1999) (RB) |
.
.
Two issues released, further compilation
in progress |
| 9-2-102 |
Government
Computerization Newsletter (2 in 1998, 2
in 1999) (RB) |
Two
issues released |
| 9-2-103 |
Statistical
Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific (1998,
1999) (RB) |
1997
issue was released, compilation in progress
for the 1998 issue |
| 9-2-104 |
Foreign
Trade Statistics of Asia and the Pacific
(1998, 1999) (RB) |
In
progress |
| 9-2-105 |
Statistical
Indicators for Asia and the Pacific (4 in
1998, 4 in 1999) (RB) |
Three
issues released |
| 9-2-106 |
Asia-Pacific
in Figures (1998, 1999) (RB) |
1997
edition released, compilation in progress
for the 1998 issue |
2.
.
9-2-201
. |
Discretionary
recurrent publications:
.
Newsletter on information technology applications
in population statistics (2 in 1998, 1 in
1999) (RB/XB) |
.
.
Under preparation
. |
3.
.
9-2-3011
. |
Mandated
non-recurrent publications:
.
Operational handbook on environment statistics
[1 output postponed from 1992-1993] |
.
.
Unedited version distributed on diskette.
Manuscript is soon to be submitted for printing |
4.
.
9-2-401
. |
Discretionary
non-recurrent publications:
.
Methodological guidelines on statistics
(2 in 1998, 1 in 1999) (RB/XB)
. |
.
.
Guideline entitled Accounting and Valuation
of Environment: A Primer for Developing
Countries was released |
| 9-2-402 |
Technical
publications on statistics on gender issues
(6 in 1998) (RB/XB) |
Three
country profiles have been released:
1. Women in Thailand (reprint)
2. Women in Indonesia
3. Women in the Islamic Republic of
Iran
Two further country profiles, namely Women
in the Republic of Korea, and Women in Japan
are being finalized |
5.
.
.
.
9-2-501
.
.
. |
Electronic,
audio and video issuances, including films,
videotapes, radio broadcasts, tapes of news,
documentary and feature programmes:
ESCAP Homepage on Statistics on the World
Wide Web (1998, 1999) (RB)
.
. |
.
.
.
.
Materials added: statistical data from Asia-Pacific
in Figures, sub-section on public sector
computerization including Y2K, documents
for the Committee on Statistics and reports
of technical meetings since 1994 made available |
6.
.
9-2-601 |
Exhibits:
.
Exhibit for the Committee on Statistics
(1998) (RB) |
.
.
Scheduled for November 1998 |
7.
.
9-2-701 |
Booklets,
pamphlets, fact sheets, wall charts, information
kits:
.
Wall chart on general/thematic statistics
(1998, 1999) (RB) |
.
.
Expected to be pursued in 1999. |
8.
.
9-2-801
. |
Technical
material for outside users (databases, software
etc.):
.
Data disseminated on electronic media (Internet,
CD-ROM, diskettes etc.) (1998, 1999) (RB) |
.
.
A start has been made through the ESCAP
Homepage; further progress depends on availability
of staff |
| 9-2-802 |
Operation
and maintenance of the ESCAP Statistical
Information System (ESIS) (1998, 1999) (RB) |
Very
slow progress owing to human resource constraints |
| 9-2-803 |
Responses
to ad hoc requests from outside users for
statistical information (1998, 1999) (RB) |
Six
enquiries had been responded to as of 30
September 1998. |
| III.
International cooperation and inter-agency
coordination and liaison (RB/XB) |
| 9-3-001 |
Collaboration
with intergovernmental organizations outside
the United Nations system, including the
East-West Center and the Pacific Community
(1 in 1998, 2 in 1999) (RB) |
Participated
in the Rio Group on Poverty Statistics,
the Delhi Group on Statistics on the Informal
Sector, and the eighteenth Population Census
Conference of the East-West Center.
Collaborated with the Asian Development
Bank on environment statistics. |
| 9-3-002 |
Collaboration
with non-governmental organizations, including
the International Statistical Institute
(1999) (RB) |
Scheduled
for 1999 |
| 9-3-003 |
Collaboration
with United Nations bodies and specialized
agencies, including the United Nations Statistical
Commission and Working Group, regional conferences
of statisticians and FAO Asia-Pacific Commission
on Agricultural Statistics (2 in 1998, 1
in 1999) (RB/XB) |
Participated
in the United Nations Statistical Commission
Working Group held in March 1998; Conference
of European Statisticians, May 1998. |
| 9-3-004 |
Collaboration
with the ACC Subcommittee on Statistical
Activities (1 in 1998, 1 in 1999) (RB) |
Participated
in the thirty-second session of the ACC
Subcommittee on Statistical Activities,
New York in June 1998 |
| 9-3-005 |
Technical
and substantive support to UNFPA Country
Support Teams in the region (3 in 1998,
3 in 1999) (RB/XB) |
In
progress on a continuing basis |
| 9-3-006 |
Technical
and substantive support to the Statistical
Institute for Asia and the Pacific (1998,
1999) (RB) |
General
support continued |
| IV.
Technical cooperation (RB/XB) |
1.
.
9-4-101 |
Advisory
services at the request of the governments:
.
Advisory services on statistics on gender
issues and other aspects of socio-economic
statistics and indicators (5 in 1998) (RB/XB) |
.
.
Advisory services were provided to Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Nepal,
Philippines and Thailand |
| 9-4-102 |
Advisory
services on statistical organization and
management, and application of information
technology, including in the public sector
(1998, 1999) (RB/XB) |
None
requested |
|
2.
9-4-201
.
|
Group
training (seminars, workshops, symposia):
.
Regional/subregional workshops on population
and social statistics, including the follow-up
to global social conferences (2 in 1998)
(RB/XB) |
.
Organized the second meeting of the Working
Party on the Application of New Technology
to Population Data, Singapore, 1-3 April
1998
|
| 9-4-202 |
Regional/subregional
workshops on economic statistics, including
national accounts (2 in 1998, 2 in 1999)
(RB/XB) |
Organized
the joint OECD/ESCAP Meeting on National
Accounts, Bangkok, 4-8 May 1998; initiated
preparatory work with the United Nations
Statistical Commission on the First Workshop
on the Implementation of the 1993 SNA, Bangkok,
12-23 October 1998 |
| 9-4-203 |
Regional/subregional
workshops on environmental statistics and
accounting (2 in 1998, 1 in 1999) (RB/XB) |
Preparation
of training materials for the workshops
has commenced |
| 9-4-204 |
Regional/subregional
workshops on statistical organization and
management, and application of information
technology, including in the public sector
(2 in 1999) (RB/XB) |
Jointly
organized the SIAP/ESCAP Workshop on the
Year 2000 (Y2K) Problem in Computers and
Strategic Issues for National Statistical
Offices, Bangkok, 18-19 June 1998; initiated
preparatory work for organizing the Seminar
on Application of Information Technology
in National Statistical Offices, Taejon,
Republic of Korea, December 1998 |
Annex III
SUBPROGRAMME 7:
STATISTICS
INDICATIVE WORK PROGRAMME,
2000-2001
7.1.1 PROMOTION,
COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT OF STATISTICAL ACTIVITIES
- Reports to and substantive
servicing of the annual Commission sessions
- Reports to and
substantive servicing of the Committee on
Statistics and other intergovernmental committees
and bodies subsidiary to the Commission
- Substantive servicing
of the Working Group of Statistical Experts
- Annotation:
If so designated by the Committee on Statistics,
a meeting of the Working Group will be convened
to hold in-depth discussions of specific statistical
topics.
- Coordination with
other United Nations bodies and specialized
agencies and liaison with city groups, and
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations
7.1.2 DEVELOPMENT
OF STATISTICS
Publication of the Statistical Newsletter
Annotation: A quarterly
publication containing news of secretariat
activities, developments of common interest
to the national statistical offices, recent
methodological developments in various arenas,
technical information from statistical meetings,
training opportunities etc.
Promotion and support of regional statistical
training facilities
Annotation: Technical
and substantive support to the Statistical
Institute for Asia and the Pacific and other
institutions conducting statistical training.
Promotion of improved management and organization
of national statistical services
Annotation: Seminars
for senior statistical managers; advisory
services on organizational and institutional
issues affecting national statistical services.
Assistance with development of national databases
on selected themes
Annotation: Review
of existing methodologies and availability
of data; expert group meetings on collection
and dissemination methodologies; methodological
guidelines; advisory missions to provide assistance
to countries in the utilization of existing
data.
Improvement of population statistics
Annotation: Advisory
missions on analysis and dissemination of
population data; planning, conduct and processing
of population censuses and surveys; utilization
of census data, technical meetings and methodological
publications on civil registration and vital
statistics and application of modern information
technology.
Assistance to governments in the improvement
of social statistics and indicators
Annotation: Meetings
on indicators needed for developing social
policy and monitoring progress towards achieving
goals and targets; training and technical
meetings on the development of statistics
concerning eradication of poverty; meetings,
advisory services and methodological work
designed to improve statistics on gender issues;
advisory missions to assist in the conduct
of surveys; methodological publication on
social indicators; compilation and dissemination
of data.
Assistance to governments in the improvement
of economic statistics
Annotation: Subregional workshops
and regional advisory services on various
aspects of national accounts. Organization
of full-scale survey or reduced information
approach to the International Comparison Programme
in the ESCAP region; group activities on other
aspects of economic statistics, including
the informal and service sectors.
Development of national capabilities concerning
statistics on environment and sustainable
development
Annotation: Training workshops, expert
group meetings and regional seminars on environment
statistics and environmental accounting; advisory
services on environment and energy statistics;
development of environment statistics databases
for the region.
7.1.3 PUBLIC SECTOR
COMPUTERIZATION
Publication of the Government Computerization
Newsletter
Annotation: A biannual
publication containing news of secretariat
and national activities and relevant technological
developments distributed through the mail
and the Internet.
Public sector computerization Web site
Annotation: Outputs
of the secretariat's work on public sector
computerization; links to national and international
sites on information technology policies and
development; coordination; ad hoc news and
activities.
Assistance to governments in the improvement
of public sector information systems and public
sector computerization
Annotation: Advisory
services and training workshops on the development
of government information systems, including
policy formulation; promotion of the use of
appropriate information technology in the
public sector; studies on computerization
strategies in the public sector.
7.2.1 STATISTICAL
INFORMATION SERVICES
Provision of ad hoc statistical information
services and special data compilations
Annotation: Responses
to requests for statistical information from
users outside and within the secretariat through
conventional means and online access; distribution
of data on CD-ROM; statistical charts on thematic
topics; dissemination of selected data through
the World Wide Web Homepage.
Publication of the Statistical Yearbook for
Asia and the Pacific
Annotation: An annual
compendium of general statistical time-series
on the region; enhancement of coverage and
orientation.
Publication of Foreign Trade Statistics of
Asia and the Pacific
Annotation: A detailed
annual compilation of international trade
data on countries of the region, covering
a recent five-year period.
Publication of Statistical Indicators for
Asia and the Pacific
Annotation: A quarterly
compilation of selected "leading" indicators
available on a monthly basis, covering the
past three years.
Publication of Asia-Pacific in Figures
Annotation: An annual
pocketbook of basic statistical information
on countries of the region, in one-country-per-page
format.
7.2.2 STATISTICAL
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Improvement and management of regional statistical
databases
Annotation: Improvement
and maintenance of the ESCAP Statistical Information
System and coordination of its linkage to
the United Nations Economic and Social Information
System.
1
The post became available in July 1998,
but probably will not be filled until 1999.
|
