UNI STATISTICAL COMMISSION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – International Organization)

Context: India started its four-year term as a member of the United Nations Statistical Commission.

United Nations Statistical Commission

• About: It is the highest body of the global statistical system bringing together the Chief Statisticians from member states from around the world.
• Establishment: In 1946
• Objective: It is the highest decision making body for international statistical activities, responsible for setting of statistical standards and the development of concepts and methods, including their implementation at the national and international level.
• Collaboration with: The Statistical Commission oversees the work of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and it is a Functional Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council.
• Membership: 24 member countries of the United Nations elected by the United Nations Economic and Social Council on the basis of an equitable geographical distribution.

India's Role in International Statistical Decision-Making

• Term Alignment with Norm Development: India's term aligns with the period during which the 24-member body is set to decide on new norms for national accounts, significantly impacting India's GDP calculations.
• Influence on Environmental Accounts and Well-being: India's membership in the statistical body is expected to influence the establishment of new systems for environmental accounts and contribute to determining aspects of well-being and sustainability for economies.
• Database Creation for Sustainable Development Goals: The country is actively working on creating a systematic database of parameters in line with the objectives of the SDGs.