on 10 September 2024 , a public event “Local Statistics in Ukraine: From Concept to Law” was held . During the event, the concept and draft law on local statistics in Ukraine were presented, which were developed within the framework of the project “Comprehensive Study of Data Needs at the Local Level”, implemented by the team of the Centre for Innovation Development together with Ivan Franko University of Lviv and the Drohobych City Institute with the support of the USAID GOVERLA Project and the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.
The event was attended by representatives of state and local authorities, local development and statistics experts, representatives of local government associations, and independent experts.
During the event, the participants discussed real-life examples of how local statistics influence regional policy, community recovery and development. However, according to the survey, 46.9% of local communities need additional data. Moreover, this need is more pronounced among rural (51.3%) and urban communities (47%).
| LEVEL OF SATISFACTION OF THE NEED FOR DATA BY TYPE OF COMMUNITY | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Answer options | Percentage of responses,% | including by type of community | ||
| urban | settlement | rural | ||
| Completely satisfied, there is enough data | 33,5 | 26,3 | 30,9 | 43,5 |
| We need more data | 46,9 | 47,0 | 51,3 | 42,2 |
| Not satisfied, no data available | 19,6 | 26,7 | 17,8 | 14,3 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Despite the urgency of the need for local statistics, its current state is characterised by a complex of problems, namely: unsystematic, lack of official information, lack of unified forms of primary accounting, restricted access to official data, lack of a unified system of local statistics, low level of community capacity.
The absence of a methodological and legislative framework for the formation and development of local statistics on a systematic basis necessitates the definition of conceptual approaches to the implementation of local statistics with further institutional, software, technical, human and financial support for its implementation, taking into account the best international practices.
Why is it important?
The implementation of the Concept will help transform the system of local statistics in line with the current needs of the state regional policy and improve the quality of information and analytical support for management decisions on the development of territorial communities and regions of Ukraine.
Local statistics is the foundation for:
- analysis and forecasting of regional and local development trends;
- restoration of territories and infrastructure;
- planning of spatial development, location of infrastructure facilities;
- development and monitoring of the implementation of local strategies, plans, and programmes of social and economic development;
- preparation and monitoring of local budgets;
- developing and evaluating the effectiveness of regional and local policies;
- setting priorities and planning the development of certain sectors at the local level: education, healthcare, housing and communal services, transport, etc;
- making informed management decisions in other areas of life of territorial communities, their settlements and districts of regions of Ukraine.
The Concept of Local Statistics defines the key areas, mechanisms and stages of formation of methodological and organisational and legal framework for the functioning and development of local statistics in Ukraine, taking into account the peculiarities of martial law, post-war development of Ukraine and the implementation of European integration tasks.
The implementation of the Concept envisages the creation of a mechanism for coordinating the activities and interaction of state authorities, local self-government bodies, and other local statistics entities on information and analytical support for decision-making on the functioning, restoration and development of communities and territories.
Innovative features of the Concept of Local Statistics:
- emphasis on the use of administrative data and public registers;
- establishment of the Centre for Local Statistics as an independent body;
- use of geospatial data and GIS technologies;
- implementation of ISO 371XX standards for assessing sustainable community development;
- integration with the European statistical system.
The text of the Concept of Local Statistics in Ukraine is available by the following links:
The Concept of Local Statistics in Ukraine was developed on the basis of a survey of more than 600 communities, 50 in-depth interviews with central executive authorities, CEBs, associations of local self-government bodies, think tanks, international experts from Poland and Scandinavian countries, as well as in close cooperation with an expert review board formed by leading organisations and experts in local statistics and data management.
The analytical materials that formed the basis for the development of the concept and the draft law are available here: