UNHCR's Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (SQAF)
Section titled “UNHCR's Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (SQAF)”UNHCR's Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (or SQAF) is a set of standards designed to assess, improve and report on the quality of UNHCR official statistics. Official statistics in the context of forced displacement and statelessness statistics compiled and disseminated by UNHCR are statistics that have been officially validated and endorsed by UNHCR. As of June 2025, these include population statistics published as part of the official population statistics data series.
The SQAF consists of 11 quality principles and 27 objectives, each with key actions that aim to improve the quality of UNHCR official statistics. The principles are organized in three overarching categories: statistical outputs, statistical processes, and the institutional environment.
It is used by UNHCR to guide the implementation of recommended actions to achieve the quality objectives, and demonstrates UNHCR's commitment to the quality of official statistics.