Proposal Description

Limited knowledge for data management, communication of statistical information and high rate of statistical illiteracy remain eminent in Africa and worse in Sub Saharan Africa. These issues have significant implications on informed decision-making, policy formulation, and sustainable development. The United Nations sustainable development goals agenda indicates the need for quality, accessible, timely, and reliable data to measure progress and ensure no one is left behind. The Busan action plan (2012) stressed a need to promote statistical access as a result of a marked increase in the demand for statistics by both public and private sector institutions as well as individuals. Despite the remarkable progress observed in statistical development by National statistical systems (NSS) in the African Continent over the years, skills gap in production, coordination, and use of data are still enormous (World Bank). The gaps are worse in mid and lower level governments, private sector and Non-Governmental organisations, yet these are hubs for operationalising programs/projects for most governments. Building statistical skills within the of the workforce keeps on the radar for sustainable development agenda. In Africa, many policies and Visions explicitly demonstrate the need for capacity building and technical support to statistics producers, providers, and users to collect, analyse, interpret and effectively use statistical information. Additionally inadequate skills to develop and implement sampling strategies, develop data collection instruments, and carry out effective dissemination of statistical information is common in many Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Africa. Worth noting is that majority of data literate and skilled workforce seem to be ageing out of the system which could perpetuate short falls in continuous capacity development and limit knowledge expansion for statistical data and its utilisation. Most training opportunities in statistics tend to be theoretic and characterised by lack of strategic focus or intended theory of change at institutional level. Hence producing half backed producers and users of statistical information. The skills gaps continue to perpetuate Misinterpretation of Data, Ineffective Decision Making, Lack of Evidence-Based Practices, Inaccurate Policy Formulation, Distrust in Data and Science, Missed Opportunities for Innovation, Financial Losses, Inefficient Resource Allocation, Biased Analysis and Underutilization of Data and Tools(World Bank).

Against the background above, that the invited panelists shall objectively point their discussions to the following:
Data Literacy Initiatives
Capacity Building in Statistical Systems
Innovative Training Approaches
The importance of improving statistical skills for utilizing evidence-based strategies.
How take advantage of Ageing Workforce and Knowledge Transfer
How to leverage on Public-Private Partnerships for Data Capacity Building
Elaborate the link between better, more accessible, faster, and more accurate data to the monitoring of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Africa
Bettering Data Collection, management and Dissemination Practices as well as addressing Misinterpretation and Distrust in Data for effective utilization.

Given that panellists are subject matter experts working in mixed backgrounds (Academia, Private sector/NGOs, government, and donor community), will cause exchange of very insightful experiences, by tapping into different encounters, regarding views and proposals responding to existing statistical gaps and skills development approaches that could create tenable and sustainable data value chain in Africa.