Capacity Building Workshop on SDGs, Environment Accounts, and Gender Statistics Held in Bhopal

Workshop Aims to Strengthen Data-Driven Decision-Making with Contributions from UNDP, Madhya Pradesh Government.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is organizing a Two-day Capacity Building Workshop in Bhopal on January 23-24, 2025, aimed at enhancing the monitoring frameworks of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), compiling environmental accounts, and strengthening gender statistics. The event is being co-hosted by the Government of Madhya Pradesh with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India.

The primary objective of this workshop is to build capacity in three vital areas—SDGs, environmental accounting, and gender statistics—providing tools to facilitate evidence-based decision-making. The event will bring together key participants from line ministries, state/UT departments, and international agencies, fostering discussions on pressing issues and sharing best practices.

The event will be graced by several distinguished speakers, including the Deputy Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the UN Resident Coordinator, the Secretary of MoSPI, the Director-General of Central Statistics, the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, and the Principal Secretary of Planning for the state. A significant moment during the workshop will be the release of a report titled "Ocean Ecosystem Accounts in India- A Framework", authored by the Expert Group, which will address ecosystem valuation and its implications for policy and development planning.

Day 1: Focusing on SDGs and Corporate Responsibility

The first day of the workshop will focus on SDGs, with discussions covering the core indicators, sub-national frameworks, and the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in achieving the SDGs. A range of renowned agencies, including NITI Aayog, MoSPI, and UNDP, will lead discussions on how the country can meet its SDG targets.

A special highlight of Day 1 will be a detailed session on Madhya Pradesh’s efforts in integrating SDGs into local governance, providing a case study on how state-level implementation can make significant progress in achieving global goals.

Day 2: Environmental and Gender Data Integration

The second day of the workshop will focus on environmental and gender statistics, critical aspects that shape informed policymaking. The environmental discussions will address the importance of environmental accounts and the valuation of ecosystem services. Experts will also share global best practices in environmental data, discussing how this data can be used to inform sustainable policies.

A parallel session on gender statistics will explore how better data collection and integration of gender perspectives in policymaking can help promote women’s empowerment and gender equality. This will include highlighting the role of gender statistics in developing policies that target women’s needs, ensure equal representation, and address gender disparities.

Facilitating Evidence-Based Policy-Making

By bringing together experts, government officials, and international agencies, the workshop will aim to strengthen India’s capacity to monitor and report on the SDGs, improve environmental data, and enhance gender statistics, thus paving the way for data-driven policy making. The capacity-building exercise seeks to promote collaboration between state and national agencies while empowering policymakers with the tools to create inclusive and sustainable development policies.

Through this workshop, MoSPI and its partners aim to drive impactful discussions on the integration of data in decision-making processes, ensuring that India can meet its international commitments and effectively address environmental and gender-related challenges.