Do you know how many people live on less than $1.25 a day? The fact is we can’t be sure. No one can. Why? Because we don’t have the data to support it. Up to 350 million people around the world may be uncounted. If these people were included in a census, new population estimates would likely show global poverty counts that are 25% higher than current estimates.
Data is critical to our understanding of the world and yet in many places we don’t have the data needed to make decisions or take action. So how do we better understand our world? How do we measure and monitor our success toward achieving what is important in communities?
Data holds the key. Statistical and geospatial communities are the major contributors of information used for evidence-based decision-making across all the areas addressed in the 17 Global Goals from ending poverty and inequality to providing quality education and sustainable communities. Geographic information systems (GIS) and statistics, when utilized together, can provide an enhanced understanding of communities, cities, and nations.
This industry perspective explores how national statistics organizations and other government agencies can leverage the power of GIS to better serve citizens and build smarter communities.
