Statistical Commission reviews problems of least developed countries, other data-oriented work.

Statistical Commission reviews problems of least developed countries, other data-oriented work

The special problems of the statisticallyleast developed countries were among a variety of subjects tackled by the Statistical Commission, which met from 23 February to 4 March in New York.

Also on its agenda were items on:technical co-operation; demographic and social statistics; the World Population and Housing Census Programme; social statistics and indicators; dissemination of international statistics; and industrial statistics.

The 24-member body--one of theEconomic and Social Council's six functional commissions--provides guidance on United Nations statistical activities by recommending policy to the Council and to the Secretariat on gathering statistics and setting standards to make them more comparable internationally.

The Commission this year requestedthe United Nations Statistical Office to give particular attention to the needs of statistically least developed among the developing countries when preparing methodological manuals and to assist them in improving their statistical services in order to promote their economic development.

The body also stressed the importanceof technical co-operation programmes for developing countries and asked the Secretary-General to report on the subject in 1989. It encouraged the preparation of country case-studies to analyse experiences of developing countries which had received technical co-operation and made notable progress in their statistical development.

Patterns: A priority

With regard to demographic and socialstatistics, the Commission agreed that the subject of patterns of consumption and related socio-economic indicators was a matter of considerable priority for developing countries. The serious need for developing continuing basic data collection programmes in those countries was stressed, and the Secretary-General and the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development were to report on preparation of indicators in such fields as living conditions, employment, education, health care and consumption patterns.

The Commission approved the draftSupplementary Principles and Recommendations for the 1990 World Population and Housing Census Programme, and requested that it be published in a form that would reflect the views of the Commission and regional commissions. The Programme is to be carried out between 1985 and 1994. Census training and other technical co-operation activities...