Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve answered some of the most common questions we receive below. If you have a question we haven’t answered yet, please let us know via the Contact page or by emailing us at aii@afidep.org
Where is the Round 1 (2013) data?
The first round of research (2013) was conducted as a pilot research round. After this round, the scoring criteria used by researchers to assign scores were changed to improve data collection and measurement. This improvement means that 2013 scores shouldn’t be directly compared to the following rounds, and they have been left out of the data.
Why are certain indicators marked gray and appear as ‘N/A’?
In different years we have made minor adjustments to the number of indicators that are covered; for instance, 4 indicators (111, 112, 113, and 114) on civil registration were added to the 2016 scorecard, while other indicators were dropped. Starting in 2019, there were significant changes as the in-law indicators were not assessed and some additional indicators were dropped as we decided to focus only on in-practice indicators.
Why can I see certain comments only in English and others only in French?
AFIDEP makes constant efforts to ensure and improve data accuracy, which also means to carefully take into account the linguistic aspect of the data collection process. Starting with the second round, the data collection in anglophone countries and francophone countries took place in English and French, respectively. Data from countries that have either Spanish or Portuguese as their official language were collected in either French or English. The researchers’ work is not translated from the original submission material.
What do the scores 100, 75, 50, 25 and 0 correspond to?
Each indicator has a set of elaborate criteria that corresponds to each possible score. In general, a 100 translates into ‘Very Strong’, a 75 into ‘Strong’, a 50 into ‘Moderate’, a 25 into ‘Weak’ and a 0 into ‘Very Weak’. While in-practice indicators are scored on this scale, in-law indicators are scored as a YES or NO (equating to a 100 or 0), as a law exists that either meets the criteria, or does not. For a select few in-law indicators, a Mixed score (equating to a 50) is also possible. You can also refer to the color codes in the legend on the map view. The scoring criteria is shown below the color legend in the map view and corresponds to the indicator chosen from the dropdown menu. The criteria are also available in the downloadable dataset.
Why are there two indicators numbered #93?
A number of indicators were reassessed between round 4 and round 5. Some were added, and some were removed. For #93, the indicator itself changed and the number kept.
For rounds 2-4 (2014-2016), indicator #93 read “In practice, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) or equivalent collects and publishes statistics on infrastructure (rail lines, airports, water pipes, electric grid, telecommunications towers, etc.).” This indicator was no longer assessed after round 4, and is marked on the data page as Indicator 093(x).
From round 5 (2017) onward, indicator #93 became “In practice, the independence of the Office of National Statistics (ONS) is guaranteed.”
A note on the map.
The map and country boundaries displayed on the data page do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of AFIDEP concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its borders. The depiction and use of boundaries, geographic names and related data shown on maps and included in lists, tables, documents, and databases on this website are not warranted to be error-free nor do they necessarily imply official endorsement or acceptance by AFIDEP.
What if there is an error in the data?
Each scorecard goes through several rounds of quality control, peer review, and a consistency check to ensure the data is as accurate as possible. However, published data is occasionally challenged as being inaccurate or needing improvement. For this reason, we have instituted a comment period after each round that allows interested parties to provide feedback on the research.
In rare cases, we have been provided with fact-based, concrete evidence that the score and comment are substantively inaccurate. Such indicators that meet this test will be amended during the consistency and comment period, with published data being updated one month after the closing of the comment period each year.
Read our full policy on correcting and updating published research here.