Definitions of Statistical Capacity Building

This page summarises how major international organisations define statistical capacity building and situates ORBICAP’s definition within this landscape.

Across institutions, definitions of statistical capacity building are highly consistent. Differences relate primarily to emphasis, rather than to fundamentally different understandings. Broadly, definitions tend to focus on three overlapping dimensions.

Common dimensions in international definitions

1. Technical and institutional development

Most organisations emphasise strengthening the technical and institutional ability of national statistical systems to produce, disseminate, and use reliable and timely statistics. This perspective is prominent in the definitions of the United Nations, the IMF, PARIS21, the World Bank, and the OECD.

2. Infrastructure and resource development

Development banks and regional frameworks highlight investments in infrastructure, human resources, and system sustainability as prerequisites for effective statistical production, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

3. Sector-specific capacity

Some organisations focus on capacity building within specific policy domains, such as health, development planning, or regional monitoring, reflecting their mandates and operational contexts.

ORBICAP’s position

ORBICAP’s definition of statistical capacity building aligns with international practice but places explicit emphasis on system-level governance and responsibility.

From ORBICAP’s perspective, statistical capacity building is not primarily about isolated training activities or technical upgrades. It is about strengthening organisations' capacity to govern, manage, document, and continuously improve statistical activities over time, in line with their mandates and international principles.

This includes leadership responsibilities, workflow design, quality assurance frameworks, documentation practices, and mechanisms for learning and adaptation across the statistical system.

(Full references are available from the respective organisations.)

This page was last updated in February 2026.