How the data revolution could transform development (but might not) | Devex

abernard102@gmail.com 2014-11-19

Summary:

"... Thankfully, a recent report commissioned by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has brought welcome attention and clarity to the issue. Despite critique over the framing and consultation periods, this report is a significant step forward. We now need to build on it — starting with some clarity on what we are talking about and what we aren’t: 1. We need investments in the nuts and bolts of official statistics. The debate in New York on the Sustainable Development Goals focuses on “leaving no-one behind.” But how can we achieve this when we don’t even know when and where people are born? We need investments in regular collection of data, as well as getting rid of bad data, and those that create it. ONE would love to see the announcement of a 'Last Mile Fund' that focuses specifically on the hardest to reach populations and shines a light on their needs and desires. 2. We need government to prioritize open data. This means data in common formats that can be freely used, reused and redistributed by anyone. It applies to information from governments and other institutions and shouldn’t apply to personal data. Conflating this with surveillance, the Snowden revelations and so on, is a major risk to political progress in this area. This is about shifting the power balance — but not so dodgy governments can monitor your Facebook posts. 3. We need partnerships, legal frameworks, standards and norms that make the most of 'Big Data' — the use of large datasets that can be used to reveal patterns, trends and associations ... 4. We need urgent investments in training. There is a big difference between access to information and impact, and many in the transparency community lose sight of this. We can’t assume that publishing tranches of data will lead to changes in behavior or policy. Supporting groups like www.yourbudgit.com in Nigeria that bring government spending data to life will be critical.  5. We need an extractive industries transparency initiative for data. Some experts refer to the current debate on data as the new extractive industry. We give away our personal information for commercial use, creating fortunes for others. People are not valued as creators of data who have the right to control their information and receive benefits from it. We therefore need a new initiative — a grand bargain between governments, businesses and NGOs that can get this right ..."

Link:

https://www.devex.com/news/how-the-data-revolution-could-transform-development-but-might-not-84848

From feeds:

Open Access Tracking Project (OATP) » abernard102@gmail.com

Tags:

oa.new oa.comment oa.un oa.reports oa.geodata oa.psi oa.third_sector oa.public_health oa.policies oa.funders oa.infrastructure oa.standards oa.copyright oa.licensing oa.government oa.libre oa.data

Date tagged:

11/19/2014, 08:51

Date published:

11/19/2014, 03:50