United Nations Statistical Commission

The United Nations Statistical Commission (StatCom) is a Functional Commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, established in 1946. The Statistical Commission oversees the work of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD). Its 24 member states are elected by the Economic and Social Council on the basis of the following geographical distribution: African states (5), Asian States (4), Eastern European States (4), Latin American and Caribbean States (4), Western European and other States (7). In 2024, the Economic and Social Council decided to progressively increase the number of members in the Commission from 24 to 54 until 2028, which aims to enhance representation and inclusivity. Member states are usually represented by their chief statistician. Since 2000 the Commission meets every year. As set forth by the Economic and Social Council, in the terms of reference, the Commission fulfils the function of “the primary body responsible for the management of statistical information and governance of statistics and data”. In doing so, it acts as the “apex forum for discussions, knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices on statistics and data across all domains, to develop and maintain international statistical standards and norms, tools and methodologies, to support and bolster the development of sustainable national statistical systems, to develop and build the capacity of national systems, to for the professional community of official statistics, and to ensure continued innovations to adapt to the changing statistical and data system”.