I. Background

Leaving no one behind (LNOB) is the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals. LNOB means moving beyond assessing average and aggregate progress, towards ensuring progress for all population groups at a disaggregated level.

To support governments and the United Nations system in the Asia-Pacific region, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has developed a user-friendly diagnostic tool called Leave No One Behind (LNOB) platform. The tool is used to improve the understanding of how various circumstances intersect and create inequalities in access to basic opportunities covered by the Sustainable Development Goals. Building on empirical methodologies such as Classification and Regress Trees (CART) and the Dissimilarity index (D-index), it uses data and statistics at national and subnational levels to identify groups left furthest behind and the circumstances they share.

In this introductory training we covered how the ESCAP tool worked and could be used to strengthen policy interventions for a more equal and inclusive Asia-Pacific region. Each training is customized to the country where it is being delivered. 

II. Training Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will: 

1. Understand the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) methodology and how it is used to identify the furthest behind. 
2. Understand the Dissimilarity Index (D-Index) and how it is calculated to provide a single numerical value that summarizes inequality in a particular development area. 
3. Have a thorough review of the 16 indicators covered in the ESCAP LNOB tool.
4. Understand all the graphs and charts included in the ESCAP LNOB tool, as well as navigating through the tool.
5. Learn how the analysis can be adapted to best serve individual country requirements.

III. Target Audience

This course was open to participants from the Government, the United Nations Country Team, academia and civil society. It is best suited for those who are involved in policymaking related to the SDGs or who are working with groups left furthest behind.

IV. Organization and Participation

The training was organized in-person at the Le Meridien Hotel in New Delhi, India, on 24 May 2023. The tentative programme of the training is available on the programme tab.