When Statistics Reveal Victimization and Authorities Adapt Public Policies

Quality statistics help bring different experiences of victimization to light and generate evidence to inform and strengthen public policies.

In Panama, the 2017 National Victimization and Citizen Security Perception Survey (ENVIP) helped identify unreported experiences of victimization and assess challenges such as corruption. Its findings contributed to reshaping the national citizen security strategy and informed the work of an interinstitutional prevention group.

Featured in the Fourth Global Progress Report on SDG 16, Panama's experience demonstrates how statistics can translate a better understanding of societal challenges into public policy decisions.

Panama is now preparing a new round of ENVIP, with technical assistance from the UNODC-INEGI Centre of Excellence. The survey is expected to generate data for four SDG 16 indicators covering violence, perceptions of safety, reporting of violence, and bribery.

From Quality Statistics to Public Policy Impact

The Fourth Global Progress Report on SDG 16 emphasizes that peace, justice and inclusive institutions are essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda. To make progress, countries need high-quality, methodologically sound and comparable statistics to identify challenges, inform interventions and assess results.

SDG metadata are essential to this effort. They document indicator definitions, data sources, calculation methods and limitations, supporting the accurate production, interpretation and use of statistical information.

To facilitate access across Latin America and the Caribbean, the UNODC-INEGI Centre of Excellence brings together updated metadata for 18 indicators spanning six SDGs in one place, with resources available in Spanish and English.

The value of statistics lies not only in measuring challenges, but in using evidence to improve public policy responses.

Explore the metadata fact sheets

Interested parties can view the fact sheets and learn about the methodologies used to calculate the indicators at the following links:

Metadata fact sheets in Spanish:

https://www.cdeunodc.inegi.org.mx/unodc/index.php/metadatos/index.htm

Metadata sheets in English:

https://www.cdeunodc.inegi.org.mx/unodc/index.php/metadata/index.htm

Panama's Impact Story — Fourth Global Progress Report on SDG 16