This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from United States statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from American statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other American-specific metadata information.

Comment and limitations

Under review.

This table provides information on metadata for SDG indicators as defined by the UN Statistical Commission. Complete global metadata is provided by the UN Statistics Division.

Indicator

Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations
Target

Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions
Organisation

Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO), United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA)
Definition and concepts

Definition:

The indicator Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations has two separate components: the developing country proportion of voting rights and the developing country proportion of membership in international organisations. In some institutions, these two components are identical.

The indicator is calculated independently for eleven different international institutions: The United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Finance Corporation, the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Trade Organisation, and the Financial Stability Board.

Concepts:

There is no established convention for the designation of "developed" and "developing" countries or areas in the United Nations system. The aggregation across all institutions is currently done according to the “historical” classification of “Developed regions” and “Developing regions” as of December 2021 in the United Nations M49 statistical standard. The removal of this classification from the M49 standard at the end of 2021 makes it more urgent to reach agreement on how to define these terms for the purposes of SDG monitoring. The designations "developed" and developing" are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process.
Unit of measure

Percentage
Data sources

Description:

Annual reports, as presented on the website of the institution in question, are used as sources of data. Sources of information by institution:

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA): website of the General Assembly (http://www.un.org/en/member-states/index.html)

United Nations Security Council (UNSC): Report of the Security Council for the respective year (https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/sc_annual_reports)

United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Report of the Economic and Social Council for the respective year (https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/documents/reports-general-assembly)

International Monetary Fund (IMF): Annual Report for the respective year (https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/AREB)

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD): 2000: The World Bank Annual Report 2000: Financial Statement and Appendixes to the Annual Report; from 2005: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Management’s Discussion & Analysis and Financial Statements for the respective year (https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/annual-report/world-bank-group-downloads)

International Finance Corporation (IFC): IFC Annual Report (volume 2) for the respective year (https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2128)

African Development Bank (AFDB): African Development Bank Group Annual Report for the respective year (https://www.afdb.org/en/documents-publications/annual-report)

Asian Development Bank (ADB): 2000-2017: Annual Report for the respective year; from 2018: Financial Report for the respective year (https://www.adb.org/documents/series/adb-annual-reports)

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB): Inter-American Development Bank Annual Report for the respective year (https://www.iadb.org/en/about-us/annual-reports)

World Trade Organisation (WTO): WTO Annual Report for the respective year (https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/reser_e/annual_report_e.htm)

Financial Stability Board (FSB): 2010, 2015: charter of the Financial Stability Board; 2016-2018: Financial Stability Board Financial Report for the respective year; from 2019: Financial Stability Board Financial Statements for the respective year (https://www.fsb.org/publications/)

List:

Website of the General Assembly; Report of the Security Council for the respective year; Report of the Economic and Social Council for the respective year; IMF Annual Report for the respective year; IBRD Management’s Discussion & Analysis and Financial Statements for the respective year; IFC Annual Report (volume 2) for the respective year; AFDB Annual Report for the respective year; AFDB Group Annual Report for the respective year; ADB Financial Report for the respective year; IADB Annual Report for the respective year; WTO Annual Report for the respective year; FSB Financial Statements for the respective year
Data providers

Name:

UNGA, UNSC, ECOSOC, IMF, IBRD, IFC, AfDB, ADB, IADB, WTO, FSB

Description:

The United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Finance Corporation, the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Trade Organisation, and the Financial Stability Board
Comment and limitations

Cross institutional comparisons need to pay attention to the different membership of the institutions. Voting rights and membership in their institutions are agreed by the Member States themselves. As a structural indicator, there will be only small changes over time to reflect agreement on new States joining as Members, suspension of voting rights, membership withdrawal and negotiated voting rights changes. The indicator is not intended for use at country-level or for cross-country comparisons.
Method of computation

The computation uses each institutions’ own published membership and voting rights data from their respective annual reports. The ratio of voting rights is computed as the number of voting rights allocated to developing countries (as classified by the “historical” classification of “Developed regions” and “Developing regions” as of December 2021 in the United Nations M49 statistical standard), divided by the total number of voting rights. The ratio of membership is calculated by taking the number of developing country members (using the same classification), divided by the total number of members. Both ratios are expressed as percentages.
Metadata update

2022-07-07
International organisations(s) responsible for global monitoring

Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO), United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA)
UN designated tier

1
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