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Counting What Counts: Africa’s Seminal Effort to Produce Harmonized Official Statistics on Governance, Peace and Security

Author

Listed:
  • Marie Laberge

    (Independent Expert, Associate Researcher, Montreal, Quebec)

  • Yeo Dossina

    (African Union Commission (AUC), Statistics Division, Addis Ababa)

  • François Roubaud

    (IRD, UMR DIAL, PSL, Université Paris-Dauphine)

Abstract

(english) The paper documents the practical experience of eleven African national statistical offices that tested and eventually institutionalized a methodology for producing official harmonized statistics in the area of governance, peace and security statistics between 2012 and 2017. This took place whilst the rest of the world was still debating the rationale for including this new domain in the next global development agenda. It situates Africa’s successful GPS-SHaSA experiment in the context of the continent’s long-standing commitment to “achieve political sovereignty through data autonomy”. The paper also presents some strategic advantages of the GPS-SHaSA methodology, provides illustrations using selected targets of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 on how the four types of data generated by the methodology can inform policymaking. It finally concludes by identifying a number of methodological, institutional, financial and communicational investments necessary for GPS statistical production by NSOs to be sustainable, in Africa and beyond. _________________________________ (français) Cet article présente l’expérience concrète des instituts nationaux de la statistique (INS) de onze pays africains qui ont testé en pratique et institutionnalisé une méthodologie harmonisée pour produire des statistiques officielles dans le champ de la gouvernance, la paix et la sécurité (GPS) entre 2012 et 2017. Cette expérience s’est déroulée alors que le reste du monde était encore en train de débattre de la pertinence d’inclure ce nouveau champ thématique comme une composante à part entière de l’agenda global du développement post 2015. Le papier montre comment le succès de l’expérience GPS-SHaSA s’inscrit dans un engagement de longue date de l’Afrique pour « atteindre sa souveraineté politique à travers l’autonomie des données ». Il décrit également les avantages stratégiques de la méthodologie GPS-SHaSA, et offre quelques illustrations tirées de cibles particulières de l’Agenda 2063 de l’Afrique et de l’Objectif du Développement Durable (ODD) 16 pour montrer comment les quatre types de données produites par le projet peuvent informer les politiques publiques et le processus de décision. Il conclut en identifiant un certain nombre de défis méthodologiques, institutionnels, financiers et en termes de communication à relever pour que la production de données GPS par les INS puisse être durable, en Afrique et au-delà.

Suggested Citation

  • Marie Laberge & Yeo Dossina & François Roubaud, 2017. "Counting What Counts: Africa’s Seminal Effort to Produce Harmonized Official Statistics on Governance, Peace and Security," Working Papers DT/2017/20, DIAL (Développement, Institutions et Mondialisation).
    • Handle: RePEc:dia:wpaper:dt201720
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. -, 2014. "A World that Counts: Mobilising the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development," Coediciones, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), number 40319 edited by United Nations.
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    3. repec:dau:papers:123456789/4352 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Razafindrakoto, Mireille & Roubaud, François, 2010. "Are International Databases on Corruption Reliable? A Comparison of Expert Opinion Surveys and Household Surveys in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 1057-1069, August.
    5. Javier Herrera & Mireille Razafindrakoto & François Roubaud, 2007. "Governance, Democracy and Poverty Reduction: Lessons Drawn from Household Surveys in Sub‐Saharan Africa and Latin America," International Statistical Review, International Statistical Institute, vol. 75(1), pages 70-95, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Measurement; Indicators; Governance; Peace; Security; Sustainable Development Goals; Agenda 2063; Household Surveys;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C18 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Methodolical Issues: General
    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • C83 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Survey Methods; Sampling Methods
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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