UNICEF Egypt hosts MICS7 Survey Design Workshop, bringing together 30 countries to advance data for children and women

CAIRO, 19 May 2025  – UNICEF is hosting the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) Design Workshop in Cairo from May 19–26, 2025, bringing together national data experts and country teams from 30 countries across the globe to strengthen data collection on children and women. UNICEF serves as custodian and co-custodian for 19 SDG indicators and in this role, it supports countries in generating, analysing and using data for these indicators for effective policymaking. The workshop will train participants on the MICS methodology, data gap analysis, and innovative collection techniques, helping countries draft MICS Survey Plans for national implementation.

Since its inception in 1995, MICS has been implemented worldwide serving as a major source of high-quality, disaggregated data. It has grown from 28 indicators in its first round to 177 in its sixth round (MICS6).  Conducted in 118 countries, MICS remains a cornerstone of evidence-based policymaking.

Now in its seventh round, MICS introduces a range of critical new topics and modules, including:

• Domestic violence against women
• Anthropometry for children aged 5-9 years
• How children use their time
• Adolescent mental health
• Food insecurity

MICS plays a vital role in shaping national policies for children, monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and serves as a key data source for tracking progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). MICS7 expected to generate data on up to 40 SDG indicators.

"MICS tells us where we’re advancing – and where we’re falling behind. It highlights which children are thriving, and which are still left out," said Natalia Winder-Rossi, UNICEF Representative in Egypt. "This MICS7 Survey Design Workshop in Cairo is a pivotal opportunity to produce rigorous evidence that makes policies and action smarter, more inclusive, and more responsive to real needs.”

“What the MICS programme offers today is a result of 30 years of testing, piloting, experimenting and pivoting with national surveys and innovative ways of data collection in countries around the globe. It is our role as UNICEF to transfer this accumulated knowledge for national statistics offices around the world to use and customize to meet their data needs,” mentioned  Andrea Rossi, Global MICS Coordinator, UNICEF

The MICS7 Survey Design Workshop is a testament to the global commitment to informed decision-making and data-driven development, paving the way for more impactful interventions for children and women.