OPEN DATA
MATTERS

we are development data experts
promoting data openness
and completeness

2020/21 Open Data Inventory (ODIN) Annual Report

Open Data Watch launches the Annual Report of the 2020/21 Open Data Inventory (ODIN) that assesses the coverage and openness of official statistics in 187 countries.  ODIN monitors the progress of open data that are relevant to economic, social, and environmental development.  An Executive Summary is also available.

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Open Data Day 2022: Open Data to Improve the Lives of All

Without open data, informed decisions and accountability are not possible. When data are locked behind paywalls, innovation is stifled. But change is underway to improve access to data.

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OUR WORK

Open Data Watch is an international, non-profit organization working at the intersection of open data and official statistics. Our work supports the implementation of change in the production and management of official statistical data. Concentrating efforts in three areas — policy advice, data support, and monitoring — ODW seeks to make development data better and more accessible for increased use and impact. An example of the interaction between these workstreams, the Open Data Inventory (ODIN) provides in-depth annual assessments of coverage and openness that countries can then use to identify and address data gaps. Only with high-quality and open data can international organizations, governments, and citizens solve the challenges of measuring and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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WHAT’S NEW?

UN Statistical Commission Endorses Report on Open Data

The 53rd UN Statistical Commission endorses the Report of the Working Group on Open Data, to which Open Data Watch was a major contributor.  The Report notably establishes the principle of “Open Data by Default.”

Moving from Data Production to Impact: The Role of the NSO

A UN Statistical Commission event, “Moving from Data Production to Impact:,” discusses the role of NSOs in facilitating greater data use and avoiding “data graveyards.”

The Power of Open Data: Moving from Concept to Action

A UN Statistical Commission event, “The Power of Open Data: Moving from Concept to Action,” reports on the latest best practices for NSOs to implement open data, including “Open Data by Default,” Interoperability, and local-level data sharing that safeguards confidentiality and privacy.