The United Nations is working to uncover the availability of data across 193 member countries, a crucial step in making informed decisions and measuring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article explores the insights from the UN’s analysis, revealing surprising data gaps and the need for greater investment and collaboration to address these issues. United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals
Meet the Data Dilemma: Exposing the Challenge of SDG Monitoring
Governments and international organizations need reliable, up-to-date data in order to make informed decisions and move closer to the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is a worrying trend that has been laid bare in the UN’s analysis for 193 countries across the globe.
One person examining this question in close detail under the scientific eye of the UN is Christoph Gössmann, a doctoral student at ETH Zurich. That warning: “We are flying blind without data.” Sad to say, this is all too common as of now. To open those black boxes — particularly when it comes to data from the United Nations (UN) and other major international organisations — Gössmann and his team developed SDG Monitor, a new resource that marries a range of official UN datasets to help fill those knowledge gaps decision makers around the world need for evidence-based policymaking.
Unpacking Data Disparities: Trends and Loopholes in SDG Reporting
The assessment done in the SDG Monitor indicates that for certain topics, including energy, health and industry a lot of documentation exists however considerably less is documented in areas such as peace, climate or gender equality. This discrepancy brings up the necessity of a more inclusive and fair data collection skill.
Most of the 30 best data availability countries are developing nations, found the report. It came as a surprise to us”, reported by Gössmann. Upon closer examination, this effect is largely due to variations in national level of prioritisation. In fact developing countries frequently follow better with the SDGs than developed countries. This understanding implies that the global community should cooperate in ensuring that all countries, independent of their level of development, have the resources and assistance they need to collect and report on SDG indicators
Closing the Data Divide: How to Go Beyond SDG Data Availability, and data utilization
One critical function of the SDG Monitor is reinforcing accountability and transparency, keeping up the pressure on the implementation of SDGs. But Gössmann says that it is not all so bad. These days, the data is being reported to the United Nations “a little quicker than they used to,” he said. “Also, the numbers from SDG reporting are just a more source, countries have plenty of other sources of data they base decisions on.
Nevertheless, SDG data accessibility is still a paramount necessity that must be addressed. To make this happen will take a country-wide effort, and not just from an individual government or international organization. Moreover, progress can be spurred by pressure from the public and developing national uses for SDG data, incorporating into national decision-making processes. Where these investments are too costly for countries do make unilaterally, the international community will need to provide funding and capacity-building. Together, we can close the gap in international development data and optimize the Sustainable Development Goals.
