Region I Put Up Knowledge Center for Children and Women

Better access of data on children and women, this was the primary concern in the establishment of a Knowledge Center for Children and Women in the Ilocos Region.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), recognizing this need, recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Establishment of a Knowledge Center for Children and Women in

the Ilocos Region. The project aims to establish/strengthen linkages with the regional and provincial government agencies in the systematic collection, processing, reporting and storage of data on children and women; and encourage the use and dissemination of these data for purposes of advocacy, policy making, planning and mobilization of resources for children and women.

Specifically, the Center was established to meet the following objectives: 1) set-up and update the Region I database on children and women based on existing frameworks on children; 2) increase availability of and improve access of updated statistics for data producers, users and other stakeholders; 3) provide timely and reliable data as basis for policy alerts on emerging situations that need immediate action by concerned entities; and 4) disseminate updated and selected information/indicators on the situation of women to all sectors concerned and the general public.

The project, which is implemented with assistance from the UNICEF, have the following major components: 1) database; 2) library; 3) data processing and analysis for policy alerts; 4) data dissemination; and 5) advocacy.

The Center had started its operations with the establishment of its library and database components at the National Statistical Information Center (NSIC) of the NSCB.

Meanwhile, the Regional Statistical Coordination Committee (RSCC) Region I, passed RSCC Resolution No. 02, series 2001, enjoining concerned data producing agencies to provide the NSCB data and publications on women and children for the knowledge/information center on women and children in Region I. The resolution was passed to ensure the availability of comprehensive and updated data/publications/materials on women and children at the Knowledge Center.

IRENEA B. UBUNGEN
Head, NSCB Regional Unit I