Sustainable Development Goals Icon The purpose of this project is to translate metadata for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators into other languages using computer assisted translation tools. A low cost, efficient, and accurate method was needed to improve the transparency and accessibility of metadata for statistical capacity building.

  • In January-March 2020, a pilot was conducted as the result of a collaboration by the World Bank Group under the ECASTAT Trust Fund in coordination with UNECE and ROSSTAT. The pilot produced Russian translations of selected SDG metadata with an estimated reduction of translation time of 35%.

  • In October 2020, the second phase of the study was launched. All SDG indicator metadata files designated by the IAEG-SDGs as tier 1 were converted into machine-readable format and translated.

  • In September 2021, the study expanded to include all tier 2 metadata files and all updated tier 1 metadata files approved by the IAEG-SDG. Files will be harvested from the UNSD SDG Data Lab on a routine basis. This expansion is possible due to a new partnership with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and ongoing collaboration with the SDG-SDMX Working Group, the IAEG-SDG Metadata Working Group, and the secretariat of the IAEG-SDGs.

Translations are prepared through our ongoing partnerships with national statistical offices and regional agencies. UNECE and Rosstat prepared Russian translations. Statistics Canada prepared French translations. ECLAC and IADB prepared Spanish translations. We welcome partners to generate translations into other languages.

For more information about the project, please email sdgmetadatatranslation@worldbank.org.