The Expert Group on Disaster-related Statistics in Asia and the Pacific was formed to improve disaster risk reduction statistics through sharing best practices and pilot studies. The group is drafting a Disaster-related Statistics Framework to address the need for standardized and harmonized methods for collecting and reporting data on disaster risks, occurrences, and impacts. The framework is being tested in several countries and the group will finalize documentation, case studies, and recommendations before presenting a version 1.0 of the framework for review and concluding its work in 2018.

1. Statistics Division
http://www.unescap.org/our-work/statistics
Disaster-related Statistics
Framework (DRSF)
Expert Group on Disaster-related Statistics
in Asia and the Pacific
UN World Data Forum

2. Statistics Division
http://www.unescap.org/our-work/statistics
Overview Expert Group
Why?
• Emerged from policy debates
• Disaster risk reduction & resilience to disasters
• Call for improved statistics to strengthen evidence base for DRR
Who?
• Two professions working together: statisticians from official statistics
organizations and disaster information experts from disaster
management agencies
How?
• Sharing of best practices
• Pilot studies
• Expert discussion and online consultations
2

3. Statistics Division
http://www.unescap.org/our-work/statistics
Why a statistical framework?
• Major needs for improvements to national data and
statistics on disaster risk and disaster impacts (responding
to local & national demand; global indicators demand)
• Demand for harmonization of methods (e.g. for
international indicator monitoring) and to share best
practices
• Bridge between disaster and risk management information
and socio-economic statistics

4. Statistics Division
http://www.unescap.org/our-work/statistics
Inspiration ...

5. Statistics Division
http://www.unescap.org/our-work/statistics
Status of work of the Expert Group
• Provisional draft framework (including tables) drafted for
pilot testing in 4 countries
• Final repot of pilot study findings
• Identified list of key pending issues (e.g. use of big data,
statistics on vulnerable groups) and distributed
responsibilities among Expert Group members for
development of methodological recommendations
• Revised DRSF ver. 1.0 being drafted (revised framework
with outline guidelines)

6. Statistics Division
http://www.unescap.org/our-work/statistics
Sample methodological
recommendations
• Concrete definitions for disaster occurrences and direct
impacts
• Population in hazard exposure areas
• Valuation of economic loss and descriptions of
relationships to national accounts
• Measurement units for direct impacts
• Classification of disaster risk reduction characteristic
activities

7. Statistics Division
http://www.unescap.org/our-work/statistics
Work Ahead
• Finalize documentation of population in hazardous area
estimation methodology
• Complete case studies for use of big data for disaster
statistics
• Distribution of DRSF draft ver. 1.0 for review
• 5th Expert Group Meeting, 3rd Quarter 2017, Republic of
Korea
• Report to Commission, May 2018, conclusion of mandate
for work on DRSF

8. Statistics Division
http://www.unescap.org/our-work/statistics
http://communities.unescap.org/
asia-pacific-expert-group-disaster-related-statistic
Thank you