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Globally, Evidence-based Policy is increasingly adopted to formulate successful and effective policies. In Evidence-based Policy, decisions are based on reliable data and statistics rather than intuition and personal opinion.  

In 2015, the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) utilizing this approach. SDGs address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. Policies must be based on evidence rather than assumptions to address these ambitious goals.  

As the Secretariat of the UN Statistical Commission, UN DESA develops concepts and methods for implementing the international statistical standards set by the Commission.  

It supports Evidence-based Policymaking by advocating for greater use of data and statistics in decision-making at all levels. 

This effort starts with supporting and building the capacity of National Statistical Offices and government agencies to routinely produce, collect, compile, store, analyze and disseminate official statistics and indicators consistent with international standards in the following areas: 

• Social statistics;  

• Economic statistics (including international trade, financing flows, and gaps, economic globalization, tourism, energy, and industrial statistics);  

• Environmental statistics and environmental and economic accounting; and 

• Statistics related to the SDGs and their indicators to support policy formulation.  

It also advises on forest-related indicators, demographic projections, and geospatial information management. 

These efforts are essential for ensuring that development policies and programs are based on sound evidence and contribute to sustainable development. 

UN DESA’s support to national statistical capacities and systems is provided through various modalities, including knowledge dissemination and capacity development support for Evidence-based Policymaking. 

Knowledge Networks and Direct Support 

• Over the years, numerous groups have been established under the auspices of the Statistical Commission in order to examine topics of methodological interest, develop normative documents, and coordinate the work of multiple actors. Access is available to a broader informal network of statistical experts who can offer technical expertise and advice to address specific needs.

• The Global Network of Data Officers and Statisticians is a professional social network that connects statisticians, data officers, scientists, and geospatial information experts from national statistical systems, regional and international organizations, the UN Resident Coordinator Offices, and UN Country Teams, civil society, academia, and the relevant private sector. To help implement the SDGs, it promotes collaboration, coordination, knowledge sharing, networking, and technical support.

• Through the email address statistics@un.org, the UN DESA Statistics Division (UNSD) can be contacted for support on any of the aforementioned topics. If necessary, incoming inquiries will be forwarded to the appropriate section within UNSD or to a more specific generic email address in order to allow for greater attention to the issue at hand.

Global Databases and Platforms 

• SDG indicator platform is a platform for disseminating the Global SDG Indicators database and other SDG indicator-related resources. It references metadata from the UN system and other international organizations that collect global data for indicators in the Global Indicator Framework. Also included on the platform is a UNCT toolkit for monitoring and reporting the SDGs, which includes tools to assess national statistical capacity for the SDGs, guidance, and tools to evaluate SDG data gaps and capacity development needs for SDG monitoring, including UN info dashboards on SDGs country profiles.  

• Open SDG Data Hub is a data-sharing arrangement that provides access to accurate, timely, disaggregated, accessible, and ready-to-use data and statistics from various authoritative SDG data sources to support evidence-based decision-making and advocacy. It facilitates the dissemination of data between users and producers. 

• UN data is a web-based data service for the global user community. It brings international statistical databases within easy reach of users through a single-entry point. Users can search and download a variety of statistical resources compiled by the United Nations statistical system and other international agencies. 

• The National Accounts Main Aggregates Database presents a series of analytical national accounts tables from 1970 onwards for more than 200 countries and areas of the world. The database is updated in December each year with newly available national account data for all countries and regions. 

• UNDESA-STAT COVID-19 Response provides a space for the global statistical community to share guidance, actions, tools, and best practices to ensure the operational continuity of data programmes by National Statistical Offices and to address issues of open and timely access to critical data needed by governments and all sectors of society to respond to the global COVID-19 crisis. 

• UN Global Platform is a cloud-based digital environment for international collaboration using Big Data sources and advanced technologies to develop new economic and social statistics methods, including SDG indicators. Statisticians, data scientists, and data engineers from the statistical community, academia, the private sector, and non-governmental institutes collaborate actively to innovate data.  

• Global Core Set of Forest-Related Indicators: to be finalized by 15 forest-related international organizations and conventions. 

• The Clearing House (CH) of the Global Forest Financing Network (GFFFN) is an online platform and database that provides information on forest financing opportunities and flows. The database includes a comprehensive, up-to-date database on forest financing opportunities for sustainable forest management that draws on all existing sources of information, an interactive web platform for exchanging data, lessons learned, and best practices, as well as data for assessing progress toward the SDGs and Global Forest Goals target 15. B. 

E-learning and toolkits  

• The UN Statistics Division’s learning hub is hosting a series of e-learning courses on various statistics topics, including on big data, environment, gender, population and SDGs.

• An E-handbook on SDG indicators designed to help national statisticians collect data, calculate, and monitor the SDGs using data produced by national statistical systems. The handbook provides a comprehensive yet straightforward reference to important aspects of measuring indicators, such as concepts, definitions, sources, and calculations. 

• The StaTact toolkit was developed in collaboration with UNITAR to address measurement gaps in monitoring national SDG policies in selected areas. This toolkit provides an analytical framework and multi-stakeholder methodology for bringing national experts from NSOs, Ministries, and the wider data community. It addresses institutional challenges to data collection, production, and utilization by using all data sources, including Big Data, geospatial, etc., to support evidence-based policymaking. 

• UN SDG: learn hub for statistics courses was developed as a joint effort by members of the Global Network of Institutes for Statistical Training (GIST). A list of courses from different organizations is displayed by learning type, statistical domain, and SDG goal. For each course, there is also a description of the content, length, language, and price. 

• Global Network of Institutes for Statistical Training (GIST)  brings together experts in statistical training from international agencies, regional training institutes, and statistical offices that support other countries. GIST's goal is to build sustainable capacities in countries through efficient, effective, and harmonized delivery of training at global and regional levels that will enable the production and use of quality data and statistics, including for the monitoring and implementation of Sustainable Development Goals. 

• The TRAIN-FOR-TRADE elearning programme, run in collaboration with UNCTAD/STAT (SDG Pulse), is an intensive and comprehensive programme focused on international trade in goods and services. This programme, jointly with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), is conducted twice a year – each Spring and Fall. The registration for this programme opens approximately 1 month prior to its commencement date.

Capacity Development 

• UNSD-FCDO Project on SDG Monitoring supports 20 project countries in their SDG monitoring and COVID-19 data responses. 

• The Data for Now initiative focuses on developing countries' capacities to deliver information that local and national policy and decision-makers need to achieve the 2030 Agenda. As part of this initiative, UN DESA, the World Bank, the Global Partnership for Development Data (GPSDD), and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) leverage innovative sources, technologies, and methods to streamline the production and dissemination of better, more timely and disaggregated data for sustainable development. It is currently being implemented in eight countries as a pilot program. 

• Collaborative on Administrative Data aims to strengthen national statistical systems' ability to access and utilize administrative data for statistical purposes by leveraging advances and good practices from different sectors and partners, including regional and international organizations. The initiative provides a platform to share tools, best practices, and experiences to enhance statistical data quality, timeliness, and disaggregation. 

• Global Calendar of Statistical Events collects and disseminates information on statistical capacity-building events organized by UN entities and international and regional organizations with the participation of various countries by using automated web scraping techniques and limited manual data collection.