1

The United Nations Demographic Yearbookand the

Work Programme for Social Statistics

Expert Group Meeting to Review the United Nations Demographic Yearbook System10-14 November 2003New York

Demographic and Social Statistics BranchUnited Nations Statistics Division

2

Main reasons for presenting the work programme for social statistics

• To acquaint experts with the proposed work programme for social statistics, that they may take it into consideration when discussing the Demographic Yearbook and their national data systems

• To get feedback • general or specific comments • specific inputs and contributions to any of

the activities listed

3

Background

• At its 33rd session, the Statistical Commission expressed the need for a more systematic development of social statistics.

• In response, an expert group meeting, “Setting the Scope of Social Statistics”, was conducted in New York in May 2003, with the objective of proposing a programme of work for furthering the development of social statistics.

4

Background (cont’d)

• The expert group meeting came up with a set of recommendations for furthering the development of social statistics. These recommendations served as a guide for drafting a work programme for social statistics.

• The final work programme will be presented to the Statistical Commission in March 2004.

5

The proposed work programme for social statistics (2004-2014)

• Coordination

• International standards

• Data sources

• Promoting the use of statistics

The work programme addresses four main areas:

6

Planning and implementing the work programme for social statistics:

Key considerations

• Integrated approach

• Mainstream gender and other special population groups

• Consider linkages among various social sectors, as well as between the social, economic and environmental fields

7

Most elements of the work programme for social statistics are highly relevant to the Demographic Yearbook system. For example,

• Review existing coordination mechanisms among international organizations with a view to improving them

• Document coordination among producers of social statistics at the national level (case studies)

• Create a Social Statistics website with active links to relevant UN specialized agencies

Coordination

8

International standards

• Make available on the web international standards relevant to all areas of social statistics

• Promote harmonization of standards, units and classifications across data sources

Most elements of the work programme for social statistics are highly relevant to the Demographic Yearbook system. For example,

9

Data sources

• Review the totality of data sources for social statistics and consider their complementary use

• Workshops to review national metadata systems used to describe the quality and timeliness of social statistics

Most elements of the work programme for social statistics are highly relevant to the Demographic Yearbook system. For example,

10

Data sources (cont’d)

• Strengthen national capacity to conduct censuses and sample surveys

• Review and supplement the international recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, for Vital statistics and for International Migration

• Integrated workshops on producing fertility, mortality and international migration statistics using all data sources

• Workshops on multi-purpose surveys

• Strengthen national administrative systems for statistical purposes

11

Promoting the use of social statistics

• Maximize the utilization of social statistics for policy

• Preparation of The World’s Women 2005 (for which the Demographic Yearbook will be a major source)

Most elements of the work programme for social statistics are highly relevant to the Demographic Yearbook system. For example,

12

We ask you to

• Consider the recommendations of the expert group meeting on social statistics and the proposed work programme in your review of the Demographic Yearbook, with a view to improving the collection, dissemination and collection of social statistics

• Comment on the work programme

• Indicate interest in participating or contributing to any specific activity listed in the work programme

13

Discussion points

• How well does the current Demographic Yearbook cover social statistics? Can new topics be added without compromising the quality of the Demographic Yearbook?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of combining various data sources for producing social and demographic statistics for the Demographic Yearbook?

• How can we maximize the utilization of social statistics produced by the Demographic Yearbook ?

• What changes need to be made to the current system to more adequately meet the diverse needs of users of social statistics?