Estadísticos del Caribe analizan los objetivos del Milenio en la región

Caribbean-Specific MDGs under microscope as statisticians meet in Dominica 

Statisticians from across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Monday began the comparison of data within and across Member States as part of their review of Caribbean Specific Millennium Development Goals (CSMDG) and Indicators.
CSMDGs, many with 2015 target dates, include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary and secondary education; promoting gender equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; and combatting HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
The CSMDG indicators were approved by the Seventeenth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) that was held in Georgetown, Guyana, 17-18 November, 2008, and provide greater relevance in terms of the incorporation of gender, targets on violence and indicators on non-communicable diseases.
The comparability of data is the main focus of the three–day workshop in Roseau, Dominica, which was convened by the CARICOM Secretariat, with support from the European Union.
Among the aims of the workshop are the review of existing data gaps based on statistics and indicators submitted by countries; identification of methods that can be used in filling these gaps; and the review of the methodologies used in the production and compilation of CSMDG statistics.
The sessions in Dominica follow previous workshops held in Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname and Guyana in 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively, which sought to strengthen capacity in the Region in the production and dissemination of core Social/Gender Statistics and specifically the indicators for the MDGs and the CSMDGs.
In brief remarks at the opening on Monday, Deputy Programme Manager, Regional Statistics at the CARICOM Secretariat, Ms. Barbara Adams said the interchange of information and discussions would clarify issues and problems on the data compiled and submitted so that Member States could gain better insights into filling the gaps in the data.
“The focus of the work at the Regional level in statistics and therefore in this workshop is to ensure that the gaps in the data are filled and that the data across countries are harmonized – such that we compare like with like.  This year 2013 has been designated the International Year of Statistics in recognition of the important role that statistics play in our everyday lives. The indicators of the CSMDGs play a fundamental role in this regard in its orientation toward improving the lot of the most vulnerable in our region, Ms. Adams said.
She added that critically, statisticians needed to disaggregate all the indicators by sex to reflect the situation with respect to women and men, boys and girls.
“The year 2015 is almost upon us and we therefore urge the statisticians as well as the officials in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies to give of their best in working together to ensure that as a Region we can not only present to the world our indicators of development, but that we can make a bigger statement on the differentials in achievement among the sexes,” she said.

http://www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/press_releases_2013/pres276_13.jsp