Role of Quality of Life Statistics in addressing global challenges

​GIS– 20 November, 2019: A half-day workshop focusing on Quality of Life (QoL) Statistics, organised by Statistics Mauritius to mark the 2019 African Statistics Day (ASD), opened this morning at the Caudan Arts Centre, Le Caudan Waterfront, in Port Louis.  The ASD’s 2019 theme is Everyone counts: quality statistics for better management of forced displacement in Africa.

In her address, the Director of Statistics, Ms Li Fa Cheung Kai Suet, spoke about the need to have adequate indicators to address global challenges of the 21^st century, such as climate change, poverty, resource depletion, health and quality of life given the fact that economic indicators such as GDP were not designed to be comprehensive measures of prosperity and well-being. 

According to her, at international level, the ‘Beyond GDP initiative’, is gaining ground.  This initiative, she remarked, is about developing indicators that are as clear and appealing as GDP, and at the same time, more inclusive of environmental and social aspects of progress.

Indicators on Quality of Life and Sustainable Development are published by Statistics Mauritius, however, these indicators are not comprehensive enough, and have to be expanded to include measures of subjective well-being, Ms Cheung Kai Suet further pointed out.

In addition, the Director of Statistics recalled that a Living Conditions Survey was conducted from October 2018 to September 2019 to collect data on people’s perception on their standard of living, about their health, their participation in recreational and cultural activities, and also on time use.  As such, data from the Living Conditions Survey, coupled with those from other household surveys, have enabled Statistics Mauritius to come up with some new QoL indicators, and to compile some SDG indicators for which data were missing, she added.

Presentations during the seminar focused on: Development of Quality of Life statistics at international level; and Quality of Life Statistics in Mauritius – main results of the 2018-2019 Living Conditions Survey; and Evolution of Quality of Life Statistics.  Resource persons were Mr G. Betti, World Bank Consultant on QoL statistics and Professor in Statistics and Economics, University of Siena, Italy; and, Mrs Appadu and Mrs Rughoobur, Statisticians, Statistics Mauritius.

African Statistics Day

The ASD was adopted in May 1990 by the Sixteenth Meeting of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers responsible for Planning and Economic Development. The day is celebrated on November 18 each year in order to increase public awareness about the important role which statistics play in all aspects of social and economic life of the continent.

The African Statistics Day also helps to create a dialogue space between producers and users of official Statistics and engage the public and private sector in the production, dissemination and use of administrative and official statistics.  It moreover enhances the capacity of academicians, local government and media to access and use official statistics for evidence-based decision making and reporting as well as promotes the dissemination of statistical publications.