ONE, UNFPA and European Union strengthen the production of migration statistics with the "Figures that include" project

Santo Domingo, D.N.– The National Statistics Office (ONE), with the technical assistance of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the funding of the European Union, presented the results and lessons of the project “Figures that include: towards the strengthening of the migratory statistical process”, an initiative aimed at strengthening the production of migration statistics through the use of administrative records in the Dominican Republic.

This project aimed to improve the availability, quality, and use of data generated by public institutions, promoting its transformation into official statistics under common methodological standards, comparable and aligned with the needs of the country.

Within the framework of its implementation, key actions were developed such as the technical diagnosis of the state of administrative records, evaluating quality aspects such as coverage, consistency, and timeliness; the documentation of statistical processes, particularly in the General Directorate of Migration, and the strengthening of guidelines for the dissemination of statistical results, as well as the standardization and conceptual harmonization of migratory variables, contributing to the comparability and coherence of the data. We recommend reading: Furthermore, the initiative allowed progress towards the consolidation of more integrated information systems, capable of consistently measuring migration flows, characterizing the migrant population, and providing key evidence for the design and evaluation of public policies. During the event, the director of the ONE, Mildred Martínez, highlighted that “this is a project that marks a significant advance in the way the country produces and uses statistical information, especially on a topic as complex as migration.” In his intervention, Mario Serrano, national representative of the United Nations Population Fund, pointed out that the statistical use of administrative migration records offers a key opportunity to better understand population dynamics, optimize state planning and guide more effective public policies. "From UNFPA, we reaffirm our commitment to continue being a key partner in strengthening the statistical system and the production of statistical evidence that promotes more equitable development with a human rights perspective for everyone, because every person counts," Serrano emphasized. On his part, Raúl Fuentes Milani, ambassador of the European Union, stated that the project "Figures that Include" strengthens the use of data and evidence to design more responsible and legitimate public policies. He emphasized that, although the country has made progress in reducing poverty and institutional modernization, challenges persist in vulnerable territories, so this initiative will allow for a better focus on actions according to the needs of each community. These results are framed within the mandate of Law 1-12 of the National Development Strategy 2030, as well as the commitments made by the country in the Sustainable Development Goals and the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development, which highlight the importance of having timely, reliable, and disaggregated statistics on migratory dynamics. Similarly, the project aligns with axes 1 and 2 of the ONE's 2025–2028 Institutional Strategic Plan (PEI), focused on strengthening the production, harmonization, and dissemination of official statistics, as well as the regulation, standardization, and planning of the National Statistical System (SEN). You can also read:

Collaboration

In the development of the project, key institutions such as the General Directorate of Migration, the Central Electoral Board, the Ministry of Interior and Police, the Ministry of Education, the Attorney General's Office, and the Single Beneficiary System, among others, were involved, whose articulation has been fundamental for the strengthening of the migratory statistical process and the use of administrative records.

Participants

The activity also included the participation of Yoanna Bejarán Álvarez, head of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office against the Illicit Trafficking of Migrants and Human Trafficking; Alba Goycoechea, head of mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM); Laura Suazo, national program officer for Population and Development of UNFPA; Crismairy Jiménez, director of Norms and Methodologies of the ONE; Melvin Asin, head of Cooperation of the delegation of the European Union, and Paola Rodríguez, director of Demographic, Social and Environmental Statistics of the ONE, as well as representatives of institutions of the National Statistical System.