On February 2nd, 2016, BCSDN organized a webinar – “Measuring the Impact of the Third Sector: Concept, Metrics, Statistics, and Data: Developments to Consider in Advocacy Work”. The lecture was given by Ksenija Fonovic, SPES (Italy) Vice Director and Expert on European volunteering measurement and gathered 15 representatives of BCSDN staff and members. The aim of the webinar was to share the latest developments in the global efforts in measuring of civil society (third sector). Fonovic provided a comprehensive overview of the most important elements of two international statistical standards regarding third sector measurement and volunteer work, namely the revised versions of the UN Handbook on Non-Profit Institutions in the System of National Accounts due to be published in the course of 2016 and the ILO Manual for Measurement of Volunteer Work. Although date on third sector organizations (CSOs) in Western Balkans and Turkey is being collected it seems the date on them in not to be flagged out in the statistical system and they are either buried and presented as part of the private or public sector institutions depending on their major source of revenue. BCSDN research and publication Economic Value of the Non-profit Sector in Western Balkans and Turkey is a first step in identifying the challenges that need to be overcome so that basic data on third sector become available. FP7 Third Sector Impact (TSI) , of which SPES and Fonovic are partners is currently conducting ground-breaking research at the European level including definition of third sector definition, measurement of its size and impact. One of the additional advocacy opportunities that presents itself to CSOs to advocate for data access are the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 17, which requires partnership with CSOs and its role in measuring of the progress and implementation of SDGs at country level.
