A first! Workshop on joint data collection for tenure security at UN World Data Forum, Dubai

The Global Land Indicators Initiative (GLII), under the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), convened the first technical workshop for National Statistical Organisations (NSOs) and data partners this weekend in Dubai in advance of the second UN World Data Forum. The workshop was jointly facilitated by the custodian agencies that is FAO, UN-Women, UN -Habitat and the World Bank and built on the outcome of the Arab Land Conference 2018. Hosted by the Dubai Land Department, the workshop focused on the joint data collection module for tenure security which was developed by the custodian agencies with technical contributions from GLTN’s Global Land Tool Indicator Initiative. It also supported the custodians’ efforts towards achieving Tier I status for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators 1.4.2 and 5.a.1 by 2020. The NSOs received training to strengthen their capacity to generate quality, regular and sex disaggregated data on tenure security and to fast track reporting on the SDGs as emphasized by Agenda 2030. This workshop was key in empowering governments to enhance the quality of data produced for planning and policy decisions.

The workshop participants included 22 technical officers in charge of survey design, data collection and management; Director of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA), Head of Registration Directorate of the Dubai Land Department, Directors Generals of NSOs and data partners from 14 countries across the world including India, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Bangladesh, China, Tanzania, Sudan,  Cameroon and Togo

The participants reviewed the methodology for monitoring, analysing and reporting on the SDG indicators and integration of essential questions in national surveys. The sessions specifically addressed the use of administrative data and best practice in survey data collection on women’s land rights. The NSOs also shared best practice and draft actions plans towards achieving data collection and reporting on these indicators by 2020 including follow up, support and capacity strengthening by custodian agencies and other partners. You can read the concept note and workshop agenda for more details here.  The outcomes report from this workshop will be shared in due course. Meanwhile, discussions on these topics continue for the next three days at the UN World Data Forum which kicked off today, Monday 22 October. This will be the second edition of the Forum which is hosted by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and builds on the inaugural UN World Data Forum held in South Africa in 2017. This Forum convenes almost 2000 data leaders from government, business and civil society to launch solutions to improve data on keys areas of sustainable development such as tenure security. GLTN and GLII representatives will also be part of this forum initiative. Keep an eye on the GLTN social media for updates on the outcomes of this forum.