Challenges and opportunities
National statistical offices operate in a complex environments shaped by rapid technological change, global interconnectedness and ongoing crises and conflict. The 2030 Agenda and the commitment to leave no one behind, have driven a surge in the demand for quality, timely and granular data. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic underscored both the urgency of such data and the limitations of current systems. While technological advancements and new data sources offer opportunities, concerns about harmful data use and reducing levels of public trust have spurred global and regional discourse on data governance to balance risks and benefits.
Our response
The Committee on Statistics, at its eighth session in 2022, decided to "feature data governance in its future work, with an emphasis on sharing country experiences and facilitating the provision of technical assistance". In response, a data governance framework with five pillars was developed, which provides a basis and a template for preparing one-page national data governance profiles. National statistical offices can use the framework to describe and clarify the role they play in data governance arrangements in their own country and can use profiles prepared for other countries to compare and reflect on opportunities to improve or evolve their role.
Data governance is defined as the exercise of authority and control over the management and transformation of data with the objective of enhancing the value of data assets and mitigating data-related risks.
Data governance framework
Data governance in Asia and the Pacific
One page country data governance profiles
Last update: 31 July 2024
Disclaimer: All profiles were produced by ESCAP to illustrate differing data governance arrangements and practices and reflect the situation from when they were compiled. Refer to the country’s own website for the latest information.