IDB wants to help bring an end to politicization of national statistics …publishes study to aid nations in capacity building

Jun 20, 2018 News

By Kiana Wilburg
Statistics is an essential input for decision-making and the design of good public policies by governments, but they are often victims of excessive politicization.
In an effort to improve this state of affairs, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) launched a study, which will help governments in the Caribbean and Latin American Regions improve their National Statistics Offices (NSO), yesterday.
The IDB study, Who wants to know? The political economy of statistical capacity in Latin America speaks to the importance of strengthening statistical capacity based on case studies carried out in several countries.
These include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and the Dominican Republic. The Bank said that these studies were carried out in accordance with a new theoretical and methodological framework along with a comprehensive and comparative perspective.
In the Caribbean and Latin America, the IDB said that the level of technical and institutional capacity as well as development trajectory, are varied.
The IDB said that this is due, in part, to the general degree of development of each country and its governmental institutions, but also to the particularities of the political economy of each country.
It said that the latter factor helps to explain the differences and fluctuations in data provided by NSOs.
The IDB study also highlights the importance of the demand for statistical information as a source of strength for NSOs. The IDB therefore recommended that in addition to developing a closer link with state actors, the NSOs of each country must invest in creating working ties with civil society organizations, economic agents and the press. It said that this is necessary to guarantee the continuity of statistical capacity.
The Bank said, too, that this will contribute to maintaining levels of transparency and quality. The study also seeks to help institutions avoid excessive politicization of statistics and the potential weakening of NSOs.
Further, the Bank in its study highlights that the opportunities offered by international actors to strengthen statistical capacities. It said that this should be seized, not only because of their role as users of information, but also because of the crucial role they play in strengthening sectors in the countries.
The study proposes to promote the strengthening of the statistical sector in the countries of the region. In this regard, it highlights the importance of institutional reforms that allow the modernization of the legal frameworks that govern NSOs in aspects such as autonomy, transparency and coordination, and other reforms that strengthen statistical systems with resources and personnel, keeping in mind the challenges of technology and innovation for the future.
The Bank said that the success of the 2020 round of censuses in Latin America and the Caribbean will depend, to a large extent, on the capacity of NSOs to produce reliable and quality data to design good public policies.
The Inter-American Development Bank is an international organization that is devoted to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research and provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to public and private sector clients throughout the region.

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