Every two years the JMP updates its global databases to incorporate the latest available national data for the global SDG indicators. The JMP is committed to consulting national authorities on the estimates generated from national data sources through a country consultation process facilitated by WHO and UNICEF country offices. The country consultation aims to engage national statistical offices and other relevant national stakeholders to review the draft estimates and provide technical feedback to the JMP team.
The purpose of the consultation is not to compare JMP and national estimates of WASH coverage but rather to review the completeness or correctness of the datasets in the JMP country file and to verify the interpretation of national data in the JMP estimates.
The JMP produces detailed guidance to facilitate country consultation on the estimates contained in JMP country files. A key resource is the Data Summary tab of the country file which lists the national sources of data which have been collected to date. The consultation focusses on three main questions:
- Is the country file missing any relevant national sources of data that would allow for better estimates?
Consultations run for at least six weeks, and begin when draft estimates are shared with countries for review, usually in November. In even years consultations are held on WASH in households, while in odd years consultations are held on WASH in schools and WASH in health care facilities. The current consultation, on WASH in health care facilities and WASH in schools, began in November 2023 and will run through January 2024.