SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being | SDG 5: Gender Equality | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Institutions: Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation | Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
On 13 September 2025, UNICEF and Syriaβs Planning and Statistics Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS7) 2025-2026, the first such survey in Syria since 2006. MICS is a standardized household survey instrument that gathers nationally representative, internationally comparable data on the lives of children and women. It will cover about half of all SDG indicators that require household survey data and is expected to inform policy decisions, programme interventions, and public advocacy. The survey design workshop, held in July 2025, included line ministries and UN agencies. Data collection and analysis is expected to take approximately 18 months, with results due by end 2026.
This revival of large-scale household survey capacity represents a critical step toward evidence-based policymaking in Syria, especially following years of conflict and displacement. Updated, reliable data will be essential for tracking progress toward the SDGs, identifying gaps in social services for children and women, and guiding resource allocation and recovery efforts.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How will Syria ensure that the survey findings lead to concrete action by line ministries, and what mechanisms will be established to fill data gaps and institutionalize regular, high-quality data collection?
Follow the full news here: https://www.unicef.org/syria/press-releases/syria-signs-memorandum-understanding-multiple-indicator-cluster-survey