Regional statisticians have listed an initial 113 core Indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

The statisticians identified the core Indicators during a three-day meeting held in Dominica late last month at which a CARICOM Technical Working Group (TWG) on SDGs was established.

The criteria for the CARICOM recommended core Indicators include linkages to the CARICOM Five-Year Strategic Plan, as well as national development plans and priorities of Member States. In addition, the Indicators must be able to aid in monitoring the diverse population groups in CARICOM on the key challenge of the SDGs to leave no one behind. The Indicators also should reflect the unique vulnerabilities of CARICOM Member States as Small Island Developing States (SIDS ), and have the scope for national, regional and international comparability.

A second set of 35 Indicators was also identified.

More than 200 SDG Indicators were proposed at the global level, as well as on the framework of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.

Meanwhile, the TWG which was established, comprises ten CARICOM Member States and an Associate Member. Its objectives include:

• Reviewing the draft list of SDG indicators and making recommendations on the core;
• Facilitating the incorporation in the core list of SDG indicators that are recommended for the SAMOA Pathway, while recognizing that there may be need for unique indicators in the latter framework;
• Developing a road map for the production of all SDG indicators;
• Providing technical support as required to the CARICOM representatives on the global Inter-Agency Expert Group (IAEG) on the SDGs;
• Reporting to the CARICOM Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS) and the Advisory Group and national authorities on Statistics, as deemed necessary, on the work being done; and
• Making recommendations on the requisite resources for the production of the SDG indicators in Member States and Associate Members.

The TWG will also consider the key issue of gender through support provided at the meeting by Ms. Isiuwa Iyahen, Programme Specialist for Economic Empowerment and Statistics, UN Women Multi-country Office – Caribbean.