UNDP-LISGIS Concludes Intensive Validation Exercise

By: Blamo N. Toe/Contributing Writer

Monrovia: The United Nations Development Programme in collaboration with the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo Information Service (LISGIS) has concluded an intensive validation exercise.

The exercise is part of data validation and refinement to address missing or truncated information during the local poverty index data collection process.

This is part of Phase I of the Community-Based Local Multidimensional Poverty Indicator (CB-LMPI) survey recently conducted.

The validation process which takes a keen look at field experience sharing and data clean-up workshop is also a follow-up for community engagement to address issues of incomplete or truncated data collected.

Additionally, it aims to identify and rectify discrepancies.

Speaking during the exercise in Ganta, Nimba County, Stanley Kamara, UNDP Economic Specialist disclosed that the workshop focuses on validating the truncated within communities that participated in the ACDP and districts survey.

This according to him also looks at implementing the privatization measure and exercise to address the root cause of poverty.

“It further establishes an agreement on emerging key dimensions, indicators and their respective weights. Performance additional household revisits as part of data validation and refinement to address missing or truncated information cleaning additional testimonies in the form of photos and videos,” he added.

According to the UNDP, the validation and review process which kicks off on Monday, March 11, 2024 further placed emphasis on challenges encountered from the field by enumerators during the recent poverty survey conducted by the UNDP and LISGIS.

Kamara however, disclosed that the exercise brought together over 25 participants from Nimba, Bong, Lofa, Montserrado and Rivercess Counties who participated in the recent survey at various locations as the workshop was held in two separate locations Ganta and Gbarpolu cities respectively.

The exercise, he said, when completed successfully in the targeted counties, will pave the way for the production of the first-ever multidimensional poverty profile for a community or electoral district.

“This invaluable data will further inform evidence-based resource allocations, contributing to more targeted poverty eradication strategies,” Kamara.

It may be recalled that in early January, LISGIS with support from the UNDP successfully climaxed Phase I of the Community-Based Local Multidimensional Poverty Indicator (CB-LMPI) survey which marks a significant milestone.

However, the program targeted specific communities supported by the Accelerated Community Development Programme (ACDP) and selected electoral districts in Bomi, Bong, Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Lofa, Nimba, and Rivercess Counties was critical.

The primary aim was to lay a solid foundation for designing a robust household survey instrument tailored for data collection across these counties:

Supported by the Regional Service Center, this initiative signifies a collective effort to enhance local capacities for sustainable development strategies across Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

In alignment with the UNDP Regional Service Center for Africa’s project, “New Poverty and Inequality Metrics: Integrated Local MPIs for More Inclusive Local Development Policies and Programs, this initiative symbolizes a collective commitment to improve the livelihoods of marginalized groups in these regions. It aims to reduce vulnerabilities and multidimensional poverty by employing local contexts and approaches.