Updated information on IAEG-SDGs and global indicator framework

At the session to update stakeholders on the 2^nd and 3^rd committees of the 71^st General Assembly on 2 November 2016, Yongyi Min, DESA/UN Statistics Division (UNSD) gave a report on the IAEG-SDGs and the global indicator framework.

Global indicator framework – a practical starting point

She recalled that the 47th session of the Statistical Commission “agreed, as a practical starting point, with the proposed global indicator framework for the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. ” The framework was developed by the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG indicators (IAEG-SDGs) through an open and transparent process involving all stakeholders.

The agreed framework contains 230 indicators, addressing all Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Commission recognized that the development of a robust and high-quality indicator framework is a technical process that will need to continue over time, emphasizing that the 230 global indicators are intended for global follow-up and review and are not necessarily applicable in all national contexts.

ECOSOC, at its 70th session in June 2016, took note of the report of the Statistical Commission, which contains the global indicator framework.

In response to a question on the agreement on the global indicator framework by ECOSOC and the General Assembly, Yongyi Min said that the UNSD only knew that the ECOSOC took note of the Commission Report and that they had not heard anything from the GA yet so she didn’t know if it also took note of the ECOSOC report which also contains the Commission Report and that they cannot interpret it yet. (This is different from what was said at the previous consultation. See: Global Indicator Framework – path to its adoption

Indicator refinement

In response to the decision of the UN Statistical Commission that the IAEG-SDGs would consider the specific proposals for refinements of the indicators and make proposals for future reviews of the indicator framework, the group has been working on a proposal for a first set of minor refinements of the indicators and a few more comprehensive reviews of indicators to be undertaken before 2030. This proposal will be presented to the 48th session of the Statistical Commission in March 2017.

The IAEG-SDGs is currently considering these possible refinements and to this end, it held a public consultation on a select list of 10 indicators from 19 – 29 September. Responses were received from over 200 observers of the IAEG on the possible refinements and the results of the consultation are available online at the IAEG-SDG website. Next steps will include a review during the 4th IAEG-SDG meeting in Geneva and then a proposal to the Statistical Commission.

During the Q and A Yongyi Min clarified that the indicators for refinement for this round come from a specific proposal from member states to the Statistical Commission along with some others that were identified by IAEG members. They will also consider additional indicators at a later date, but they were not included in this round of consultations. The closed IAEG-SDGs meeting will discuss the inputs and then make a proposal for refinements for each of the selected indicators and their decisions will be presented to the plenary session.

Tier III Work plans

The IAEG-SDGs requested work plans for the methodological development of Tier III indicators from international agencies. It has reviewed them and will discuss approval and the process for moving an indicator from Tier III to Tier II at its upcoming 4th meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, 15-18 November 2016.

IAEG-SDGs 4^th meeting

Topics to be discussed at the meeting include: (i) finalizing the initial tier system for indicators, (ii) establishing a process for the refinement of indicators, (iii) reviewing work plans for Tier III indicators, (iv) discussing options for those indicators that do not have a proposed custodian agency, and (v) reviewing data flows from national to regional and global level and discuss best practices for the delivery of these data.

Replying to a question as to is which agenda items will be discussed in the closed section of the IAEG and which will be discussed in the plenary session, Yongyi Min said that the closed meeting agenda is almost the same as the plenary session agenda and that members will discuss some of the other agenda items first internally and try to reach a general agreement and then will present them in the plenary session.

On participation of civil society participation at the 4^th session in Geneva, following the postponement of the meeting in Addis Ababa, Benjamin Rae UNSD said that it was decided that the fairest thing to do was to give those who had registered for the meeting in Addis and were selected through the stakeholder selection process for that meeting, preference for attending the meeting in Geneva. Almost all have confirmed their attendance, which filled up the available space for stakeholder participation at the meeting. As a result registration was never re-opened; it is closed for the meeting; and the meeting is full at this point.