Official statistics are based on a set of principles that ensure they are fair, relevant and accurate, and can be trusted by all users as a public good. The Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics (Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, FPOS) are structured around 10 main themes that cover all the processes of production and dissemination of statistics: Relevance, impartiality and equal access; professional standards and ethics; Accountability and transparency; Prevention of misuse; Official statistical sources; Confidentiality; Legislation; National coordination, and Use of international standards.
The Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics they were first developed and adopted at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) 30 years ago and later approved by the General Assembly as a global standard. This 30th anniversary provides an opportunity to discuss the past, present and future of the Principles and their relevance in the context of a rapidly changing data landscape.
This webinar is organized by the International Association for Official Statistics (IAOS) and the Statistics Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), as an activity of the Knowledge Transfer Network (RTC) of the Statistical Conference of the Americas (CEA). IAOS promotes the understanding and advancement of official statistics and related topics and encourages the development of effective and efficient official statistical services through international contacts between individuals and organizations, including users of official statistics, as well as research institutes. IAOS has taken an active role in supporting the active implementation of the FPOS. Similarly, the Statistics Division of ECLAC contributes to improving the production, dissemination and use of statistics for evidence-based decision-making in the region, through training courses, seminars and other capacity-building activities, harmonization and dissemination of regional data, and supporting the CEA as its technical Secretariat. The RTC contributes to the dissemination of knowledge and cooperation in statistical matters by offering access to documents, seminars and methodological materials prepared by the CEA working groups and the regional statistical community. Since 2019, the National Institute of Statistics (INE) of Chile coordinates the organization of virtual seminars.
