Integrating citizen data into official statistics: Policy framework for data co-production

Meaningful Citizen Data integration on Official Statistics requires a shift from viewing citizen data as a supplemental input toward recognising co-production as a legitimate mode of statistical work. The article proposes a structured model for integration, examines the institutional, ethical, and methodological conditions necessary for sustainability, and considers the risks involved. National Statistical Offices increasingly confront persistent data gaps and rising expectations for timely and disaggregated information and new demand from SDG requirement. Traditional sources such as censuses, surveys, and administrative registers struggle to keep pace with demands for responsiveness, granularity, and representation. Citizen data produced by civil society organisations, community actors, and local monitoring initiatives has emerged as a promising yet underutilised resource. Building on the Copenhagen Framework on Citizen Data endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission in 2025, this article advances a conceptual and policy-oriented framework for integrating citizen data into official statistics.