Monitoring and statistics

Introduction to UNICEF's work on monitoring and statistics

UNICEF is committed to changing the world for children. It strives to protect their rights, improve their health, and nurture their development. This requires action that is guided by quality information.

UNICEF measures the situation of children and women and tracks progress through data collection and analysis. It maintains and updates global databases and promotes dissemination of evidence-based data for planning and advocacy. UNICEF is the lead United Nations (UN) agency responsible for the global monitoring of the child-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Supporting Data Collection
 
UNICEF assists countries in the collection of data through Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), the international household survey programme it developed following the 1990 World Summit for Children. Since 1995, nearly 200 MICS have been implemented in approximately 100 countries. The latest round alone is generating data representative of close to one in four children living in developing countries. MICS provides statistically sound, internationally comparable estimates of indicators on:

• Child Survival and Development
• Education and Gender Equality
• Child Protection
• AIDS

MICS serves as a major source of data for monitoring national and international development goals and commitments.
Leading Data Analysis

UNICEF has done extensive work in developing new methodologies for tracking estimates on low birthweight, antenatal care, vitamin A deficiency, pneumonia, malaria, iodine deficiency disorder, female genital cutting and many other priority issues.

UNICEF also maintains a series of global databases on key indicators. This effort goes through a rigorous and ongoing process to ensure data quality. The databases, updated annually with the assistance of UNICEF’s vast network of 140 field offices, are found at http://www.childinfo.org/  

By leading and playing an active role in interagency monitoring groups, UNICEF contributes to the development of indicators and monitoring tools on topics such as water and sanitation, AIDS, child and maternal mortality, and immunization. UNICEF produces joint estimates with its partners and works to harmonize global monitoring efforts.
Enhancing Data Dissemination

UNICEF data is used for a variety of planning and monitoring purposes. They appear in UNICEF flagship publications such as The State of the World’s Children and Progress for Children. UNICEF data are presented in a number of sector-specific reports including Countdown to 2015; Malaria and Children; and Pneumonia: The Forgotten Killer of Children. They are also used for evidence-based policy analysis such as in the ongoing Global Study on Child Poverty and Disparities being carried out in 40 countries and seven regions through UNICEF support (http://www.unicefglobalstudy.blogspot.com/)

Researchers, program managers and legislators worldwide count extensively on UNICEF data to assess the situation of women and children, and to implement programmes and plan policies on their behalf. The media, both locally and internationally, use the data to write stories stressing the unique situation of children and women.

UNICEF also promotes data dissemination through DevInfo, a powerful database system that tracks progress towards the MDGs and monitors commitments to sustained human development. DevInfo offers an easy-to-use structure that quickly generates tables, graphs and maps, even for trend data. It is an excellent advocacy and planning tool for national statistics offices, UN agencies, donors and civil society, contributing to greater MDG awareness and knowledge at the country level and to evidence-based policy-making. The software can be downloaded at http://www.devinfo.org/