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IPS175 Pietro Gennari et al.
of having different data for the same indicators available in countries and in
databases of international organizations.

4. Proposal for a global data validation process
To address this situation, the authors has developed a simple yet effective
proposal for a standardized, coordinated approach for data validation among
custodian agencies. The proposal is based on two distinct components: a)
privileged access to the Global SDG Database that acts as a repository of
national estimates awaiting country validation; and b) a web survey for each
custodian agency with which countries can provide their feedback in case of
disagreement with the methods/estimates, as well as information on the
availability of alternative national data and related data sources. This proposal
would improve the data validation process in a number of aspects.
Firstly, it would provide a single location where countries could review and
validate the country values of all SDG indicators within a set timeframe. Such
a repository would eliminate the need for different custodian agencies to
come up with their own method of data sharing, and would constitute a
common interface that all countries would quickly become familiar with.
Countries would be informed that new data are uploaded and would be given
login credentials and a password for a privileged access to the unpublished
SDG data. They would then be allowed 30-40 days for their review. The
schedule of this validation could be synchronized with the February deadline
for the transmission of new data for the global SDG database: custodian
agencies would thus need to upload their country estimates by an agreed
date, so as to provide countries with a reasonable timeframe for reviewing the
data and if needed, interact with the custodian agency. The validated
estimates could then simply be automatically relocated to the public section
of the global database and thus formally released.
Secondly, it would provide a standardized on-line survey tool to facilitate
direct communication between countries and custodian agencies. This second
component, which incorporates elements of a similar UNICEF proposal
submitted to the 9th IAEG-SDG, would allow countries to provide feedback
only if and when disagreements on the country values/methods emerges. It
would also allow starting a negotiation process whose outcomes would be
recorded for future reference.
Such an approach would be in line with the UN Statistical Commission’s
reiterated call for better coordination, a strengthened Secretariat role, and a
more efficient UN Statistical System overall. The proposal will be formally
submitted to the CCSA and IAEG-SDG at their next sessions.

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