SDG Metadata Translation Project

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%. The pilot also provided a detailed protocol that could be replicated in other languages for other translation needs.

The team coordinated with the SDMX-SDG Working Group, the IAEG-SDG Metadata Working Group, and the secretariat of the IAEG-SDGs on the SDMX-SDG metadata concept compliance and version control.

In October 2020, the main study was launched. All SDG indicator metadata files designated by the IAEG-SDGs as tier 1, tier 1/tier 2, or provisional tier 1 were converted into machine-readable format and translated. Files are populated on our metadata webpage on a flow basis as they are prepared.

Through a letter of agreement, the World Bank partnered with Statistics Canada to produce French translations of these metadata files. Subsequently, a letter of agreement between the World Bank and ECLAC was signed to produce Spanish translations of these metadata files. We welcome partners to generate translations into other languages.

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