The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) welcomes the publication of the new Guidance on “Governance Statistics in the COVID-19 Era” by the Praia City Group, established under the auspices of the UN Statistical Commission. OHCHR contributed to this publication, which provides a foundation for developing international statistical Guidance and standards for eight dimensions of governance, anchored in the international human rights normative framework: namely non-discrimination and equality, participation, openness, access to and quality of justice, responsiveness, absence of corruption, trust, and safety and security.

Users of governance statistics, notably national policymakers, media, researchers, national oversight institutions, and civil society groups, can make use of this Guidance. Those wanting to participate in policymaking around the COVID-19 response in their country can use this Guidance Note to demand more governance statistics and to hold the government to account on its response plan and recovery strategy, at a time when many normal oversight and accountability processes have been severely disrupted.