Data Systems at a Crossroads: Official Statistics for a New Era (UN StatCom 2026)

Co-hosted by Open Data Watch and PARIS21, this side event of the 57th UN Statistical Commission (UN StatCom) will convene participants to examine the mounting financial, institutional, and political pressures on official statistical systems, including funding cuts, stalled surveys, and governance challenges, and to consider how these trends threaten the quality, independence, and public trust in official statistics. Drawing on a discussion paper, the session will use interactive exchanges to identify concrete safeguards and practical recommendations to strengthen the resilience, relevance, and sustainability of official statistics in an increasingly complex and technology-driven data ecosystem.