First Meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) 1-2 June 2015

The First Meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) will take place on 1-2 June 2015 in New York

TAP Network: Briefing Notes First Meeting of IAEG SDGs 1-2 June

Documents:

The IAEG-SDGs has been established by the Statistical Commission at its 46th session to develop an indicator framework for the monitoring of the goals and targets of the post-2015 development agenda at the global level, and to support its implementation. (Click here for the IAEG-SDGs Terms of Reference)

The main objectives of the first meeting of the IAEG-SDGS were to:

  • set up the process for the development of the indicator framework;
  • develop a work plan and agree on the way forward;
  • establish the methods of work of the group; and
  • discuss technical issues, including the interlinkages across targets and data disaggregation.

First list of proposed priority indicators and detailed inputs to be discussed by the IAEG-SDGs

The UN Statistics Division has compiled a first list of proposed priority indicators that summarizes the current state of discussions on indicators on individual targets, and was the focus of the first meeting of the IAEG-SDGs (1-2 June 2015). This list of proposed priority indicators will be revised on the basis of the meeting’s discussions as well as later on during an additional round of consultations.

In preparation of the first meeting of the IAEG-SDGs (1-2 June 2015), agencies were requested to provide inputs on the indicators for global monitoring within their area of work and expertise, based on a preliminary list of indicators that was assessed by countries earlier in the year and included in the technical report of the Bureau of the Statistical Commission to the March session of the intergovernmental negotiations.

As part of this exercise, agencies were also requested to provide any available metadata on their indicator proposals. The deadline for sending inputs was 15 May 2015, although inputs received later were incorporated to the extent possible.

Summary of inputs

Detailed inputs

Below are all the inputs received, as of 20 May 2015, organized by goal. This includes additional metadata as well as inputs received from regional agencies and other UN mechanisms.

Report of the first IAEG-SDGs meeting

The report of the first Meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) held on 1-2 June 2015 is now available online following this link. The report was approved by the co-chairs of the IAEG-SDGs. It contains in para. 7 the conclusions of the meeting as agreed by the IAEG-SDGs.

The meeting was attended by 28 participants from 22 IAEG-SDGs member countries, as well as over 120 participants from observer countries, specialized agencies, funds, programmes, the UN Secretariat and Regional Commissions, and regional and international organizations. More than 80 representatives from accredited civil society organizations also took part in the meeting.

Statements and inputs submitted in writing for the IAEG-SDGs meeting

A compilation of written statements provided by members and observers to the first Meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) is available here.

Please click on the link below to download a pdf file with the full compilation of statements and related inputs:

Inputs from agencies and other entities on indicator proposals and metadata

A comprehensive list of all inputs from agencies and other entities on indicator proposals and metadata, received by the United Nations Statistics Division as of 15 June 2015 (noon), is now available online.

In preparation of the first Meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs), the United Nation Statistics Division requested agencies and entities to provide their inputs on indicator proposals and metadata. The request was based on the wish of national statistical offices for detailed metadata and an improved description of the indicators when assessing a list of preliminary and indicative indicators in February/March 2015 and the objective to provide a solid basis for discussion at the first meeting of the IAEG-SDGs.

The submitted inputs are separated by goal, by whether they are the indicator template or metadata, and also by the type of organization that provided the input. In addition, there is a folder for additional inputs that do not fall into one of these two subject areas. There are three groupings of organizations: United Nations Agencies and International Organizations, Regional Agencies, and other United Nations entities and mechanisms.

Should any of the submitted inputs be found missing, please contact UNSD, Statistical Services Branch, at statistics@un.org.

IAEG-SDGs discussion streams have been launched

On 8 July, a note outlining the tentative timeline, work plan and organization of work of the IAEG-SDGs was shared with all members of the group. The note, which was prepared in consultation with the two co-chairs of the group, foresees multiple rounds of consultations and opportunities for observers and major groups and stakeholders to provide inputs to the discussions.

Mexico will facilitate the first discussion stream on conceptual frameworks and indicator concepts and definitions. France will facilitate the second discussion stream on inter-linkages across goals and targets.

The discussions will be based on an updated version of the list of proposals, which replaces the earlier version provided as an input to the first meeting of the IAEG-SDGs on 1-2 June 2015.

The Statistics Division, acting as Secretariat of the IAEG-SDGs, will support the facilitators in their function. Also, in cooperation with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, an online collaboration platform has been launched. This platform will allow the IAEG-SDGs to conduct its discussions electronically in an efficient manner.