recently introduced the first version of their Global Internal Displacement Database (GIDD) that allows users to explore, filter and sort IDMC’s data to produce graphs and tables, and export underlying data.<sup>102</sup> Such platforms need to incorporate safeguards to protect the privacy and confidentiality of individuals’ data.

UNHCR and Statistics Norway are currently leading an initiative to improve forced displacement statistics with the participation of national statistical agencies. This process began with the presentation of the “Report on Statistics on Refugees and IDPs” at the 46th session of the UN Statistical Commission in March 2015,<sup>103</sup> followed by an international conference in Turkey in October 2015.<sup>104</sup> The conference set in motion a process for national statistical agencies to collaborate to develop a set of recommendations that both countries and international organizations can use to improve data collection, reporting, data disaggregation, and overall quality, including the preparation of International Recommendations for Refugee Statistics (IRRS). Progress on this agenda was discussed at the 47<sup>th</sup> session of UNSD held in New York in March 2016, where it was recommended that the expert group should also include IDPs in its scope of work (UNSD 2016).<sup>105</sup> The current initiative is focused on refugees, asylum-seekers and IDPs but would ideally be extended to host communities and returnees. Assistance might be directed to one or more of the following areas:

- (a) Support for addressing the lack of data and statistics on affected host communities and returnees.

- (b) Support for improving the scope of data collection activities to include data requirements for long-term development planning, in particular the mainstreaming of data on forced displacement in household surveys; and

- (c) Support to test and mainstream the use of more innovative mechanisms for data collection, analysis and dissemination.

For such efforts to be successful and sustainable, it is important to ensure they are appropriately institutionalized and that they reflect the expertise and comparative advantages of the organizations involved. This can be achieved within the broader context of ongoing initiatives aimed at strengthening statistical capacity at the country level, and enhancing cooperation across countries to ensure comparability of data. Considering the number of actors involved in data collection and compilation, each with their own objectives and agendas, coordination is crucial. This would also require engaging with host governments (at national and local levels), international organizations (e.g. UNHCR, IDMC, IOM), international and local NGOs, and research organizations, through awareness raising, capacity building and the development/improvement of effective and timely data collection systems (Brookings 2013). Institutional arrangements would need to delineate data collector and data compiler roles, as well as reflect the following principles to ensure sustainability:

- (a) Pursue additional activities within the overall framework of existing initiatives to ensure coherence with the activities of other actors.

- (b) Primary responsibility for data collection rests with national statistical agencies (with adequate arrangements in the case of IDPs to mitigate political risks).

- (c) Definitions and methodologies should be harmonized across countries, through a process managed under the auspices of the UN Statistical Commission.

- (d) Agencies such as UNHCR and IDMC can play a leading role in ensuring quality, providing technical assistance as may be needed, and aggregating data for global analyses.

102 See http://www.internal-displacement.org/database.

> 103 See http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/doc15/2015-9-RefugeeStats-E.pdf.

> 104 See conference documentation at http://www.efta.int/seminars/refugee.

> 105 See http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/47th-session/documents/2016-14-Refugee-statistics-E.pdf.