The workshop explores recent developments in statistical methodologies and new data sources for measuring and monitoring poverty at various levels and dimensions. Specifically, the workshop aims to provide guidance to the NSOs on new knowledge and methodologies to measure and monitor SDGs and Agenda 2030 and identify opportunities, challenges and limitations of using big data for official poverty measurement in low and middle income countries. The workshop will also explore the potential of high frequency surveys to monitor poverty over time and across small areas, particularly targeting vulnerable groups such as refugee populations, and identify future research needs in statistical methodologies and the use of new data sources for living conditions and poverty indicators. Ultimately the workshop will help to achieve a common and improved understanding of new knowledge, methodologies and data sources that would contribute to monitoring poverty over time and across small areas and improving the measurement of some living conditions and poverty indicators for Goals 1 and 10.

With the pro-democratic uprisings sweeping the region dominating their agenda, senior representatives of several United Nations organizations based in the Arab world have concluded a meeting in Beirut with renewed commitment to strengthen their coordination with all regional economic and social development actors.