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Ensuring continuity

Survey of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) during COVID-19

The World Bank and the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), in coordination with the five UN Regional Commissions, are conducting a global online survey to assess the impact of the coronavirus crisis on statistical offices, and to identify needs for financial and technical support.

Phase 3 - Survey conducted in December 2020

This report presents the results of the third round of a global survey on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operations of National Statistical Offices (NSOs).1 The first round conducted in May 2020 focused on shedding light on office closures and the disruptions to data collection as a consequence of the pandemic. The second round, rolled out in July 2020, looked at the extent to which restrictions and disruptions had receded or become more widespread. The third round, carried out in October 2020, is focused on how NSOs have adapted to the new reality by implementing new surveys, developing new protocols for face-to-face data collection, and by building new partnerships. The questionnaire also contained questions on Population Census operations and economic statistics, proposed by the International Committee on Census Coordination (ICCC) and the Friend of the Chair (FoC) Group on Economic Statistics, respectively.

Key findings:

  • Most of the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) have at least partially reopened since the initial closure in March-April. Only 2 percent of the NSOs were still closed to all staff as of October 2020.
  • Globally, about a quarter of NSOs had no restrictions to face-to-face data collection,but there were large regional differences.
  • Seventy-three percent of NSOs had a Population and Housing Census planned in 2020 or 2021 before the pandemic hit. In the low and lower-middle income group, 68 percent of the NSOs that were planning a census had to postpone it.
  • Half of NSOs have developed new written fieldwork protocols for face-to-face interviews, while most of the remaining NSOs would consider it useful to have this type of guidelines for their survey operations.
  • NSOs remained heavily involved in tracking the spread and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • NSOs are engaging in new partnerships to bridge the data gaps created by the pandemic. The main challenge in establishing new partnerships with public or private sector partners has been in formalizing the institutional collaborative arrangements.
  • Many NSOs have taken on a data stewardship role, coordinating with government or national agencies, especially on data quality and data sharing agreements.
  • The use of geospatial information and technologies has not been mainstreamed yet in COVID-19 related data collection in most NSOs, with the majority of NSOs in low and lower-middle countries expressing clear needs to build analytical capacity and infrastructure in this area.

Data

Available documents:

Phase 2 - Survey conducted in July 2020

The second round of the survey in July 2020 looked at how restrictions and disruptions have receded or become more widespread over time, and at national and international coordination in responding to data challenges posed by the pandemic.

Key findings:

  • Since the last survey in May, most NSOs have gradually moved towards office reopening and returning to face-to-face data collection, but working from home has become the new normal for many. New protocols are needed to operate more efficiently under this new environment. Some of the best practices and lessons learned should be scaled up.
  • Remote work, training, data collection, and data storage are vital for NSOs to operate during the pandemic but many, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, are constrained by inadequate ICT equipment and infrastructure. This calls for more decisive investments in digital technology.
  • Short-term statistical production, which rely heavily on traditional face-to-face methods, continues to be affected, with low- and middle-income countries impacted the most. Reliance on alternative data sources requires smart investments to build the right spectrum of skill sets amongst NSO’s staff and NSS data producers.
  • National and international coordination in the collection of data on the COVID-19 pandemic has been inadequate in some cases, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. New institutions, or repurposing of existing institutions, with strong local ownership, may be needed to address these coordination problems and enhance effectiveness of individual efforts.
  • The pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital data, while opening up new possibilities to strengthen and modernize core data collection programs as the backbone of national data systems.

Data

Available documents:

Phase 1 - Survey conducted in May 2020

The first round of the survey was implemented in May 2020 and focused on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the general functioning of NSOs.

Key findings:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating global data inequalities. Statistical agencies in countries with the least resources are facing the greatest challenges. The pandemic has impacted their operations: 65% of NSO headquarters are partially or fully closed, 90% have staff working from home, and 96% have stopped face-to-face data collection.
  • Statistical operations have been hardest hit in low- and lower middle-income countries. 90% of NSOs in low- and lower middle-income countries are struggling to meet international reporting requirements, as opposed to one in two NSOs in high-income countries.
  • Over 60% of NSOs indicated they need additional external support.
  • NSOs are adapting and responding to the new data needs and demands of the COVID-19 pandemic and are using alternative methods, primarily phone surveys, administrative data and online surveys.
  • The global statistical community and donors must urgently provide technical assistance and financial resources to those offices most in need of support.
  • The pandemic has highlighted the importance of the digital data, while opening up new possibilities to strengthen and modernize core data collection programs as the backbone of national data systems.

Data

Available documents: