Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) leads the Data for Now initiative as the project owner in the country. Stats SL is in the process of identifying the policy priority areas to be focused on under the Data For Now umbrella based on the national development plans. In doing so, Stats SL, with support from the Data For Now project, is identifying specific data needs linked to the identified policy priorities, including the need for new data/indicators as well as increased timeliness and/or disaggregation of existing data.
Stats SL is assessing the infrastructure requirements to support implementation of innovative methods to produce more timely and disaggregated data.
Once the priorities and key indicators are selected, the Data For Now team will work with partners and NSS members to assess the feasibility of implementing innovative approaches and capacity development needs, and consequently carry out capacity development activities to strengthen the capabilities of the NSS members to produce/estimate those indicators.
Stats SL joined the Data for Now initiative in 2022 supported by the UN Statistics Division with funding from the Italian and Norwegian Government. Faryal Ahmed (Ms.), project coordinator (left, middle) and Samrat Maskey, statistician (IT Architecture) at UNSD organised a meeting on the sidelines of the UN Statistical Commission on March 2023 in New York to have a face-to-face opportunity with Mr Andrew Bob Johnny, incoming SG of Stats SL and the donors to discuss the progress of the project and discuss next steps. Supporting Mr Johnny in the discussion was Mallam O., the outgoing SG of Stats SL. Stats SL has been working extensively with relevant government counterparts to select policy priorities, and meet related data objectives with support from the Data for Now initiative.