Rationale

As development strategies came to target poverty reduction, attention was drawn to the importance of having consistent and coherent household-based socio-economic data sets. Today, increased accountability along with the need to measure aid effectiveness have reinforced this trend and created an ever-growing demand for data collection and analysis.

But the demands that an evidence-based approach to development places on national statistical systems still exceed the capacity of the poorest countries. Under-funding, technical capacity constraints and uncoordinated donor support are still characterizing many countries' survey programs. National statistical systems are not yet providing the regular flow of relevant and reliable socio-economic data needed to monitor their national poverty reduction and sector development strategies, the Millennium Development Goals, and other key indicators.

Concerted efforts are thus necessary on the part of developing countries and international partners to design and implement more effective survey programs, within the framework of improved national strategies for the development of statistics.