The availability and diffusion of MDG Indicators definition and methods of calculation is essential for producing trustable and harmonized statistics.

Metadata documents information about a statistical dataset's background, purpose, content, collection, processing, quality, and related information that an analyst needs to find, understand, and manipulate statistical data. As such, the metadata for a statistical dataset broadens the number and diversity of people who can successfully use a data source once it is released.

The specialized international statistical community has produced a range of documents, guidelines and technical manuals concerning the official MDG indicators, wish serve to understanding the particularities of each indicator, showing the appropriate source of information and methodology used for its calculation or estimation.

The Interagency Group on monitoring the Millennium Development Goals indicators, as the entity in charge of defining the MDG indicators, has been in charge of designing and disseminating MDG indicators metadata, for improving data quality and quantity and for ensuring international comparison among countries.