UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC
AND .
SOCIAL COUNCIL
Distr. LIMITED
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3 January 19 84Original: ENGLISH
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA
Expert Consultation on a System of Socio- economic Indicators for African Planners Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 23-27 January
DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS: DATA REQUIREMENTS AND AVAILABILITY
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DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS: DATA REQUIREMENTS AND AVAILABILITY
Introduction
1. Preoccupation with the development problems of African countries, reflected in the practice of drawing up development plans became evident frca the 1940s.
Fron the statistical perspective, the planning activities were characterized oy two
fe'urL Firstly, becauoe of the extensive nature of the non^onetxzed subsistence
sector, which is difficult to map statistically, serious data gaps exxsted. The
data problem was also accentuated by the lack of trained statistical ™^ as well as the usage and adaptation of alien concepts and classifications. Secondly planning activities depended overwhelmingly on macro economic infomation, giventhat the planning approach adopted in many African countries mxrrored that xn the developed countries.where postwar economic development thinking was greatly
influenced by Keynesian theory. Thus for many years, plan formulation and _
sycteoatization relied on macro economic data such as on production, prices, xncome.,
and national account indicators, l/ Accordingly, these subjects have been the ones accorded priority in data collection exercises. Despite the tremendous data proolenu
and conceptual difficulties with constructing national income accounts and othermacro economic indicators, they became the principal indexes for evaluating the
development process»
2. However, beginning in the 1970s, economists and other social scientists started challenging (he undue emphasis on national account and other nacro economic inaicators, for the following reasons. It was observed that growth as shown by national account indicators such as GDP and GNP did not ensure improvement in the aistnoutxon of the
fruits of development On the contrary, it became noticeable in quite a few -countries that skewed distribution of income and other resources ^'onf socio-ecoioonxc groups and geographical areas were perpetuated with improvements in GNP and GDP.
3. In the light of this trend, fresh approaches have been suG£ested, which
basically provide a holistic perspective to development: in addition to highlxghtxng
the economic aspects of development, it has been proposed that such issues asredistribution and unemployment along with satisfaction of basic neeus in such area,
as nutrition, housing? health and education must feature prominently in development
plans o 2/
4* This new emphasis of giving social dimension to development planning has profound implications for data requirements, as it demands new sets of aata.
5, Scope of Study; The main objectives of the paper are to identify data required
for the construction of development indicators and to provide comment on ttoiravailability.
1/ D.J- Casley and D.A. Lury, Data Collection in Developing Countries, (Oxfc"d? Oxford University Press, 190*1) pp 9-H»
2/ D.P. Ghai and others, The basic-needs approach to development some issues
regarding concepts and methodology (Geneva, ILO, 1977); Dudley Seers, "'*»* °*eu°
trying to measure?" The Journal of Development Studies, Vol.8, No. 3, April 1972«
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The discussion was done for various sectoral subject fields. The selection of the
subject fields as well as their uses were influenced by the concept of developmentadopted. These two issues are covered by other papers of the Expert Consultation and
therefore warrant only brief treatment here.
6. The conceot of development as defined by the Lagos Plan of Action puts emphasis on distributive social justice both for intra and intercouritry economic relationships, the provision.of basic needs as well as growth in gross domestic product.
7. Accordingly, the paper treats data requirements for both conventional economic topics and socio-economic subjects. However, the focus wrs on the latter, in oraer to provide social dimension to development planning. This new emphasis is important
to redress the imbalance in the past on conventional economic data in plan
systematization and fornulation.
8. ' As the subsequent discussion on the current status of statistics for the
development indicators has shown, statistical organizations are not very well developed in the majority of African countries and thus only rudimentary data and uses arc
suggested.
9. The uses of tho development indicators we envisage, include:
(a) to ;Provido tt>th economic and especially social dimensions to
development planning;
(b) to crystallize planning goals and targets; and (c) to help evaluate the impact of planning efforts.
DATA REQUIREMEFTS ^R THE SELECTED' S^LOM^r'INDICATORS
10. The following nininum subject ficldo have been selected for the discussion on ^ data requirements for development indicators. In the selection ox the subject fielas note was taken-of the new thinking about development in the region, as outlined
especially in the Lagos Plan of Action. Also, taking cognizance of the unaerccvolopec
nature of statistical services in a number of African countries, consideration wasalso given to the feasibility of collecting the relevant statistics. In this regard, the subject fields selected are the minimum which every African country shoula use to
generate the selected development indicators.
11. The subject fields arei—
- Population
- Education and Educational services - Health, Health Services and Nutrition - Housing
- Employment
- Distribution of income, expenditure and level of living
- Economic" profile of the country . .
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Pago 3 (a) it ion
12. The seXectcd d ^£J^%^
tpatiai distribution, the coaponents - ?°^°^™opulation between urban and ocio-econonic Groups. As the restriction .f th ^p dcvclo,,lcat in African
^^^ »to of
p
ocio-econonic Group
13. The selected indicators arc;
copulation uiider
- no.ith rate (crude death rr.tc)
- Hate of net niGration frca rural-,o-aroan a - Percentage of urban/rural population
_ Percentage of celected socio-ccononic ^roup 15, population over 64
Data required
U. Th. basic data retired for the construction of those indicators are:
v ape and-oex
r status of statistics
15. The basic source of statistics on P
Ration ce^us. In a ^ ^^^
population censuses in provxaxn
- Date of women's last live birth - Maternal orphanhood
- Place of birth
For tto est^ation of growth rates, popuXation totaXs froo t.o or .ore censuse
are required.
n African countries is the -
^ have oupplenentcd .
^^Stion on,for exanplo, fertility
,X . in dcDof.raphic rlata, vital reg.stratxon
t a handfuX of .frican countr.es.
~ ir, it- national coverage of events, which
^ 1 - administrative sub-
xnto t^ ^ civen
^±o not ^OQoible to inciudc dotaxXed
J-c*^^ unually aftor ten years, _
needs rt«^ «» l^ censal perxoa.
16. The major advantage of the censu
natec it possibXe for data to » cXas divisions of the country anc aXso ^
is a aulti-oubjcct data coileotxon e^
questions on any subject nor to cover a!
17. Sa,PXe surveys can
into detaiX into sone subject ^ period. But except thexr scope "^
rooreoontativo sarrole tochmcuoo, .n
nado of Eophioticated
^ " f
e.lo aurreys are inocnploto.
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IS. For both data collection systems, the publication schemes sometinea adopted, at times, fails to take advantage of tabulating into fine spatial unite such as urban and rural and administrativecub-groupings to allow construction of development
indicators.
(b) Education
19» The indicators on education should illuminate the extent of enrolment at
primary, secondary ochools, as well as the third level. Also, the indicators should chow whether illiteracy is being eliminated, Where feasible, enrolment ratios should be provided either separately for both sexes or for both sexes and female separately.
20. Another Insight into the development of education in the country is provided Joy an assessment of the institutional arrangements. For this purpose where possible, output rather than input indicators should be employed*
21. The selected indicatora arc:
— Population with primary school completed as percentage of total population
— Population with secondary school completed as percentage of total population
— Ratio of students per teacher, first and second level
— Adult population literate (literacy as measured ^y minimal education attainment, eog. 5 grades completed) as percentage of total population
— Total current expenditure on education as percentage of GDP
Data required
— Number of schools (primary, secondary) and their location
— Enrolment (primary, secondary) by sex and grade
— Educational attainment
— Number of teachers and their qualifications in primary and secondary schools
— Expenditure on education Current status of statistics
22. Population censuses, sample surveys and administrative records are the sources of information on the indicators. Cancusea and surveys usually provide information on educational attainment, school attendance and adult literacy; while administrative records usually provide information on institutional arrangements and input and
output data*
23o In population censuses, at most only two or three questions are usually included on education,, The information on educational attainment and school attendance obtained from this source however can be classified into various administrative sub—divisions♦
Sample surveys can include more detailed questions on education, but may suffer from incomplete coverage.
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24, Administrative records have the following shortcoming - incomplete coverage, the data collection by persona (mainly school administrators) with little if any statistical training. Coverage is more complete for Governnent-acsisted schools
than for private schools.
(c) Health, health services and nutrition
25. The indicators on health are intended to show basically two aspects - the
health status of the population and information about input and output resources xn the health fields, while the indicators on nutrition attempt to measure the acequacy of food.
Health
- Life expectancy, at birth, male/female - Infant mortality, male/fenale
- population per hospital ood
- population per doctor/nurse/miduifc
- proportion of births attended by physician
- Total current/capital expenditure on health as percentage of GDP
Nutrition
- Per capita caloric intake - Per capita protein intake
- Per capita expenditure/consumption
Data required Health
- No. of admissions to hospital
- " and distribution of hospitals, clinics and health centres - " of hospital beds
- Mortality statistics from censuses and surveys
- Number and distribution of doctors/nurses/mit.wives
- Expenditure on health Nutrition
— Gourcc and types of food consumed by households
— Frequency of consumption of specific foodc
— Frequency of noals
— Expenditure by household
Current status of statistics
26. Administrative records (0.5. vital registration systems, records of hospitals and health authorities) and sample surveys are the two basic sources on health. It
should be noted however,, that vital registration systems aro incomplete in a majority of African countries and therefore reliance has to be put on censuses and sample
surveys for information on mortality. ?Fhile administrative records have provided some information 0:1 nutrition, in order to acquire more detailed information recourse
has been made to sample surveys.
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27. However, in some countries, statistics on the number of hospitals, attendance at hospitals and health centres, hospital beda etc., that should be collected by the various institutions are not regularly done. In others where the information is collected, coverage, especially of non-government institutions, is frequently
incomplete.
(d) Housing
28. The indicators under this subject heading attempt to highlight information about the characteristics of living quarters and buildings in which, living quarters
arc located,
- Percentage of the population occupying living quarters with electricity - Percentage with indoor piped water supply or with access to piped water
within 100 meters
- Percentage of the population occupying living quarters with toilet
facilities
- Percentage of the population living in squatters or shanty houses - Household consumption expenditure on housing as a percentage of total
consumption expenditure - Average size of households
Data requirements
Characteristics and facilities of living quarters
- Type of living quarters
™ Toilet facilities - Tfater supply system - Type of lighting use - Bathing facilities
Characteristics of buildings in which living quarters are located
- Building type
- Construction material of outer wall
Current status of statistics
29. Housing censuses and sample surveys arc the two major sources of information on housing and households. In particular, several African countries have taken the opportunity on a population census include questions on housing. Additional
information on housing can be obtained from housing registers that arc maintained .
in urban areas0
(e) Employment
30. Unemployment, especially in urban areas, partly a consequence of rural-to-urban migration is regarded as one of the major problems of African countries. Therefore it is of interest to know about the utilization or non-utilization of labour. The indicators on employment attempt to show the distribution of the employed into various categories of industries and occupations.
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31* The development indicators on employment/unemployment arc:
— Percentage of unemployment in the economically active population among persons who have completed secondary level of education, others
— Percentage distribution of enployed population by. industry
— Percentage distribution enployed population by occupation
— Percentage of unemployment in the economically active population of the
age group (a) 15 to 24, (b) 25 to 59, (c) total
— Percentage of people employed in the agricultural sector as to the ■ total population
— Rates of labour force participation, males/females
Date required
— Nature and stability of employment(permanent/regular, temporary, seasonal, causal, part-time, regular, part—time temporary, part—tine causal)
— Employment status
— Economically active population by age, sex and education
— Unployed population ^y industry
— Etoployed population by occupation Current status of statistics
32. The three major data sources on employment and unemployment are population censuses, sample surveys and administrative records• Population censuses have been used to acquire a bread picture of the labour force — for example, the number of the economically .active and tho division of the employed into industrial and occupational categories* On the other hand, for detailed information on labour force, use have been made of various sample surveys — labour force and establishment — as well as general demographic sanple surveys.
33• Information from administrative sources such as employment exchanges and social security administrations, suffer from incomplete coverage,
34* More generally, this area of data collection and analysis is plagued by problems of definitions, concepts and classification. This problem relates more to such
concepts as self—employment, underemployment and unemployment.
(f) Distribution of income, expenditure and level of living
35» Distributional issues are increasingly being emphasised in debates about the evaluation of the development process. Indicators on this item, supplementing national accounts indexes, should provide a more comprehensive picture of the development process.
3b» The indicators are:
— Average income per household and distribution of the same by size classes
— Per capita household consumption expenditure at current and constant prices and distribution of the same by size classes
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_ PerccntaEe of available household ineooe accruin3 to percentile
groups of the households
_ consumption expenditure in the lowest total expenditure CrouP
Data required
Current status of statistics
37. infomation on income and consult
comprehensive questions in order to cll grated fron ^^^^
in the collection and estimati
a huGe subsistence sector ana proolens of
S non-nui;jerate society.
^JTnfomatiofarc uy ^ problemS have been encountred
tuA difficulties, existence of
expenditure and consumption in a
(r) General econar.ic profil
38. Oevelop.ent indicators on the Eeneral economic situation of African countries
should cover subject fields such as:
- Agriculture
~ Transport and Communications
« Financial sector - External trade
" National accounts and electricity production)
- Industry (uinin^, nanulacturiii^, o
status of s.
. Since tne toPic o
: ,rief co^nt i
tatus of these statistics
reseli Joint
Addis Ababa, 24 March - 2 up ^^ ^g
paper presented to FAO teyort Con^"a^ 10_15 ,fcy 1982.
anZ'. Uvaluatinr, AGrarian Rworu, ^clJio uoa^,
Tic, ,,African Data Rcquire.ento.in ^ ^"^g^S:1^ So
elied^o'the Joint Conference of African PI nncr Stati^ ^ ^
Ababa 24 March - 2 upr.l ^^ ^^^ic Indicators for
Indicators forPago 9 ' • u ■ nf ■ ■"-'--ican counrries has cone fror.i
40. Information on the economic conditions o nn recordr. The population census
population censuses, sample surveys ^^^^ r^^aificati;; of the employed by
is the source of data on economic status -id the <^oi i .^^ industry and otherindustry ^ ~^*^c. ^^SSi.^ provided'information that
economic ^1™^ ff^ e^pecially j:or naCro-ocononic plan aodclling and the construction of national account indices.
,--
« s=;
on econoaic topics has been frauGht with ^
problem areas.
tn
DISCUSSION
ratistical infomation is. indispensable data requirements has been far icnt planning activities comprise
"~<- - - , ^.r,. r±.^ p-.niriics takinr stock of the social and
three int^ratea stops.^ ^a^*t°^c tii'e of planning. The second steps involves
44. Despite the recognition in development planning
from satisfactory in many n
coherent franework. 5/
Uppsala; Scandinavian Ins
5/ G.M.C. Kpcdekpo ana P.L.
(Lo'hdon, George Allen and Unwin, 1981),
nd economic sta
e of African Studxes;
l and Kconorqic Statistics for Africa,
x ^ „«»
ci
ci
page 10
45. Survey on the national resources of the country should provide data on physical and human resources. Data on the economic characteristics of the economy should be available in forms to construct national accounts indices. These indices offer a systematic macro-economic report of the cconcoy by delineating relationships such
as input - output as well as balance sheets. To provide social dimension to planning, it is important also for information bearing on social welfare and social services
to feature prominently on data requirements. „
46* A question of relevance in this connection which we shall attempt to briefly
conment on, concerns the implications for general statistical data collection - procramncs in African countries with the introduction of data requirements for development
indicators.
47. 3roadly, data requirements for development indicators would not entail extra demand on statistical data collection programmes of African countries, except in areas of details and emphasis. Tnile existinr data collection systems will be fully utilized, the focus will be on sample surveys on the lines su^cctcd by the African Household Survey Capability Proerar.ir.ie (AI-SCP). 5/ The broad objectives of AHSCP are worthy of implementation in African countries. "These include the establishment of permanent field survey capabilities and statistical cartographic units and collection on a continuous basis of integrated data on employment, other productive activity, income, consumption and expenditure, together with related social and demographic statistica.
Also, the population census should continue to be a source of information, especially if its scope is widened to include information on housing conditions.
43. --/hile inquiries on population, business and economic activities as
well as agriculture should remain as priority areas, attention should also focus on basic needs and the evaluation of outputs allocated for social services. Efforts should aleo be made to improve the coverage of statistics from administrative sources.
49. Moreover, the generation of data for the construction of development- indicators will recuirc an interratcd approach to data collections c >nnon concepts, definitions and claJcifications Should where possible be used in the three data collection .systems.
50. The implenenttion ox this plan of action will result in providing not only data covering the broad spectrum of human activities but also improve the basic data that c°" into the estimation of national account a^reratcs,
51. Therefore, the generation of statistics for the fulfilment of the basic data needs for the construction of development indicators cannot but have a salutary effect
on statistical development in African countries.
S/ IZCA, "Essential Requirements for a national household survey capability",
