International IDEA promotes a democratic post-2015 development agenda

As the date of the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda draws near, one of the heated debates in the United Nations (UN) is on how its implementation will be monitored and be made accountable. Following from the UN Secretary-General’s Independent Expert Advisory Group (IAEG) on a Data Revolution for Sustainable Development report, there is growing recognition of the need for better data and statistics, allowing governments to track progress and to make sure their decisions are evidence-based.

As a strong advocate for the inclusion of democracy both as a goal in its own right and as an enabler in the post-2015 development agenda, International IDEA is co-organizing, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Value Survey Association, an interactive panel discussion on 27 April seeking to respond to the recommendations within the recent UN report, A World That Counts: Mobilising the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development. The panel will focus on how data and statistics used by governments in monitoring development progress can be supplemented with those from other types of institutions, such as international agencies, civil society organizations and the private sector.

“The post-2015 development agenda is not just about the role of governments. It is about all stakeholders. In particular, the voice of the citizens through social surveys should also be taken into account”, highlights International IDEA Secretary-General Yves Leterme, who is chairing one of the sessions of the panel discussion. “Today we will discuss how survey research can best generate data useful for the international community, so as to ensure follow up and review of the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda.”

The interactive panel will seek to contribute to ongoing discussions on the indicator framework for the post-2015 development agenda. These include the need for statistical capacity development, clearly defined regional, national and thematic monitoring levels and an accountability and quality framework useful for international organizations.

The panel will be streaming live from UN Headquarters on the Organization’s Web TV site: http://webtv.un.org/ from 10:00 until 13:30 EST.