New UN programme to support utilization and availability of data for development at the local level

National governments set overall economic and development objectives, but it is local authorities – closest to the people – who know best what it takes to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) locally. 

This is why a United Nations in Indonesia joint programme, launched recently, is focusing on supporting local authorities – at the provincial, district and municipal level – through making available data at the local level for informed policymaking.

“While governments design national policies and development frameworks, districts and municipalities have their finger on the pulse. They are therefore in a key position to assess challenges and implement development projects to respond to the needs of their population,” said Gita Sabharwal, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Indonesia. “This requires accurate and accessible data at the local level, and that is where support under this new programme will focus.”

According to government data, Indonesia is on track to meet 62% of the SDG indicators, and the government is committed to accelerate progress in the areas that are furthest behind, including nutrition and gender equality. Development across the SDGs has been uneven, with major regional disparities. To accelerate efforts where it is the most needed requires tailored interventions, which in turn requires accurate data. However, data availability at the district and municipality level is limited, particularly data for socioeconomic SDG indicators. 

The new joint programme, with the participation of the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Agency (UNFPA), will help develop a mechanism to provide more reliable data at the local level, using a modelling methodology known as small area estimation. It will also support the development of a national regulatory framework to strengthen local SDG planning, monitoring, evaluation and financing, and will also help create national guidelines and protocols to improve SDG availability and utilization at the local level.

The online SDG Dashboard, developed by the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS) and the UN in Indonesia, will be turned into a one-stop database and digital monitoring and evaluation system to analyse the progress on SDGs to strengthen local development plans, said Vivi Yulaswati, Deputy of Maritime Affairs and National Resources of BAPPPENAS. 

“With accurate data and exposure to best practice examples from across the country, we will provide governments at the subnational level with the ammunition they need to design and implement well-targeted programmes with a clear and measurable impact on development towards the SDGs,” she said. 

The new one-year programme is funded by Joint SDG Fund. It complements other initiatives by the UN in Indonesia to support sub-national governments in accelerating development towards the SDGs, such as support to Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs). VLRs enable local and regional governments to assess their progress toward the SDGs and prioritize action based on the results. 

“By working together in complimentary ways, BAPPENAS and the UN can provide the support that subnational governments need to achieve meaningful and inclusive progress,” Ms Sabharwal said.