Description

To achieve long-term sustainable development for all and to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic, countries everywhere need more quality, timely and disaggregated data to underpin evidence-based policymaking. What the crisis has shown, however, is that now more than ever many low and middle-income countries face significant hurdles to resource and find the additional support needed to meet the new and increased demand for data created by the pandemic, as well as to continue conducting their regular activities. Since the start of the pandemic, over half of national statistical offices have seen a decrease in funding from national governments as well as donors. Even before the crisis, the Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data (CTGAP) recognized that more and better funding was required to allow national statistical systems to modernize and develop the capacities required to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. In order to reduce data inequalities and ensure that countries can rely on resilient and agile statistical and data system to respond to the current crisis, future shocks, and longer-term sustainable development, it is critical to ensure that data and statistics are adequately and effectively resourced. To address this challenge, countries and the global community must find new ways to create efficiencies in current spending, leverage existing resources and attract new funding, both domestically and from external aid providers. One such innovative solution currently under development is the Clearinghouse for Financing Development Data, a new online platform being driven by the Bern Network on Financing Data for Development. The Clearinghouse will make financing for development data more efficient and effective by providing information and functionalities to better match the supply and demand for statistical support, as well as by creating a community of practice and supporting offline processes that bring together donors, recipients and stakeholders both at the global and the country levels. Come join us for this spotlight session to learn more about the Clearinghouse and how it can help development cooperation partners, aid providers and others make more and better funding for data a reality. The session will include an exclusive visual preview of the platform, as well as a panel conversation on the different ways the Clearinghouse can be used to support bilateral, multilateral and thematic capacity development for data and statistics. The Bern Network on Financing Data for Development is a multi-stakeholder alliance of development cooperation providers, national statistical offices, multilateral organizations and other institutions dedicated to overcome existing barriers that limit incentives to channel adequate financing for data and statistics. Founded by the Swiss Government in 2019, it includes over 150 members from across the globe. PARIS21 serves as the network’s secretariat. All sessions will feature simultaneous translation in English, French and Spanish. Agenda 14:00 – 14:15 Introductory overview - What’s the Clearinghouse for Financing Development Data? - Rajiv Ranjan, Innovation Team Lead, PARIS21 and Jurei Yada, Bern Network Coordination Lead, PARIS21 14:10 – 14:40 Conversation – How can the Clearinghouse help achieve more and better funding for data? - Andrea Ries, Senior Policy Advisor, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation - Andrea Richter Hume, Deputy Director, International Monetary Fund - Montasser Kamal, Program Leader, Maternal and Child Health at International Development Research Centre 14:40 - 14:45 Conclusion - What’s next