Statistics for Results Facility Catalytic Fund (SRF-CF)

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From better data to development solutions: Capacity building in the Democratic Republic of Congo
March 26, 2020 — The Statistics for Results Facility (SRF), a multi-donor trust fund, worked with countries to improve the production, availability, and use of data for evidence-based decision making. Its holistic, system-wide approach to tackling data challenges Read More »

Please note this website is being phased out.

The Global Data Facility is the new World Bank-hosted innovative global funding instrument for the world's most critical data impact opportunities. For the latest updates, visit our new website at www.worldbank.org/global-data-facility.

The Statistics for Results Facility is a multi-donor initiative, managed by the World Bank, to support statistical development in developing countries. Along with its Catalytic Fund (SRF-CF), this initiative promotes statistical capacity building and supports better policy formulation and decision-making through improvements in the production, availability and use of official statistics. More specifically, the SRF-CF aims to:

  • Stimulate support to the implementation of National Statistical Plans (National Strategies for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) or similar statistical development plans;
  • Promote a system-wide approach in statistics at country level;
  • Promote stronger coordination and partnership between users and producers of statistics; and
  • Deliver more efficient and effective aid and technical assistance for strengthening statistical systems and results measurement.

The SRF-CF was established for a pilot phase in 2009, with contributions from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, SRF-CF supported eight countries (Afghanistan, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lao PDR, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Senegal) and one regional project (Listening to Africa). For more details about individual project and accomplishments, refer to the latest SRF Annual Report and SRF Evaluations (found under the DOCUMENTS tab).

A country requesting support from the SRF-CF must have a National Statistical Plan and be willing to establish a National Partnership in Statistics, if one does not exist. More specifically, eligible countries must agree to:

  • Exercise leadership over their statistical development by developing a good quality – comprehensive, realistic, prioritized, and costed – National Statistical Plan;
  • Allocate resources and carry out necessary administrative reforms for proper implementation of the National Statistical Plan;
  • Take lead in coordinating donor and government support to statistics – through the creation of national partnerships (more on partnerships below);
  • Put into effect the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, in particular to ensure that users have confidence in the quality and integrity of national statistics; and
  • Monitor progress in statistics and statistical capacity, based on output and outcome indicators.

To promote good practice, the SRF-CF encourages donors to agree on a number of principles in the area of statistics, based on the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. These include:

  • Respect country leadership in implementation of National Statistical Plan;
  • Support nationally-agreed statistical priorities, thereby, avoid donor driven activities;
  • Deliver statistical support in a harmonized and coordinated manner, based on program-based approaches; and
  • Assist countries in their efforts to set up results-oriented measurement frameworks for sector development plans (including Poverty Reduction Strategies).

The SRF-CF encourages the establishment of a multi-stakeholder group - a National Partnership in statistics, to promote improved collaboration and coordination in the area of statistics.

Its objectives include agreeing on a costed and prioritized action plan to implement the National Statistical Plan, assist in developing proposal and financing arrangements for the implementation of the plan, coordinate all support to statistics while ensuring adherence to priorities, and monitor progress in implementation of the agreed plan.

The exact composition of the partnership group will differ among countries, but should include representatives from government, development partners involved in statistics, academia and civil society. The leadership of the Group is shared by a lead government agency and a designated lead donor.

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