2024 at ODW: A Year of Growth and Impact

Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Growth and Impact

by the Open Data WatchTeam

19 December 2024

Message from Shaida Badiee
Managing Director, Open Data Watch

As we close out 2024, Open Data Watch (ODW) reflects on a decade of growth and learning. Our 10th anniversary this year brings a moment of pride as we look back on how far we’ve come, and more importantly, how we’ve been able to support countries in transforming their data ecosystems. Over the years, we have consistently focused on our core strengths—monitoring and promoting high quality data, providing research and data support to countries and agencies, and by bringing together our substantive and networking skills, offer policy advice to improve data systems. Through these efforts, we have made meaningful contributions to advancing open, inclusive, and sustainable data systems.

Looking back on our work, we see how our efforts in research and data support have been essential in making data more usable and understandable. Through our focus on the data value chain, we’ve learned that it’s just as important to ensure research is accessible and comprehensible as it is to conduct the right research in the first place.

In the realm of monitoring, we’ve gained invaluable insights through tools like Open Data Inventory, now in its 8^th round covering 198 countries, and the Gender Data Compass, a unique monitoring tool covering key gender data capacities of countries. These initiatives have underscored the importance of engaging countries and building capacity alongside monitoring efforts. Monitoring alone doesn’t drive change—engagement and capacity development are critical to ensuring the data collected is used effectively to inform decision-making and policy.

Our work in policy support has been especially rewarding, where our strength lies in building strong partnerships. From collaborating with UN Statistical Commission bodies on guidelines and policies for open data, citizens’ generated data, data stewardship, to working alongside partners such as Paris21 on climate change data we’ve supported a broad range of initiatives that aim to shape better data practices globally. These advancements have not only enhanced our understanding but also deepened our impact on the ground.

In all our lines of work, we recognize that people are central to the solutions—an insight that’s reflected in our deep investment in starting up and expanding the Gender Data Network (GDN) with our long time partners Data2X, Parsi21, UNECA, and UNESCAP, where we continue to collaborate and build capacity to improve gender data systems worldwide.

One of the most significant lessons we’ve learned is the importance of innovation. We continue to look for solutions that add real value to the data ecosystem. A prime example of this is our Commit to Data initiative, which highlights our commitment to driving actionable, data-driven change through global collaboration.

As we move forward, our key priorities remain clear: building inclusive data systems and supporting collaborative initiatives such as the Citizen Generated Data and Intersectionality in Development Data. These efforts are vital to ensuring that data continues to serve as a tool for empowerment and equitable progress. As always, we are committed to working with partners, engaging communities, and innovating to make data more accessible, actionable, and impactful for all.

Here’s to another year of growth, learning, and collaboration as we continue our journey to a more data-driven and inclusive world.

January: Tackling Intersectionality in Development Data

ODW kicked off the year with a roundtable on intersectional development data, hosted alongside the Center for Global Development and Data2X. The discussion laid the groundwork for a new learning collaborative focused on addressing the challenges of data collection and the use of intersectional data to drive effective policies.

“Understanding how our multiple and intersecting identities impact our experiences is essential for nuanced, inclusive, and effective development policies, yet practitioners and decision-makers are often constrained by a lack of comprehensive intersectional data. I am energized by ODW’s practical approach to this new subject and look forward to seeing it evolve in the year to come.” – Jahanara Saeed, Program Director

READ: the “Harnessing Intersectionality for Development Data” brief

February: Advocating for Open Data and Supporting Countries at the UN Statistical Commission

Since our founding a decade ago, we have actively participated in the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC). This year, our side events at the 55th session covered key topics, including our ongoing focus on open data, with expanded discussions on citizen data, data stewardship, and urgent issues like food security and nutrition.

“It’s remarkable how open data has evolved over the last decade at the UNSC. In the early days, it was a topic discussed informally at the Vienna Café. Today, it is a core work stream, with many countries referencing their Open Data Inventory scores to highlight progress on openness and filling data gaps. It is just one example of ODW being able to offer practical guidance and tools for countries to make this shift. It also now provides a sound foundation to take on the emerging challenges of AI.” – Martin Getzendanner, Media and Technology Advisor

READ: the “Takeaways from the 2024 UNSC” blog

ODW’s Francesca Perucci and Jamison Henniger discuss open data capacity building needs with country representative from Namibia, Jamaica, and the Maldives at the UNSC side event “Maximizing the value of data: from principles to implementation” on 29 February.

March: Seeking Out New Partners and Country Champions

This year, ODW attended the 68th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) for the first time, marking an important step in our broader efforts to strengthen engagement with diverse countries and partners. We put data on the CSW agenda by spearheading discussions on financing for data systems, intersectionality, and the role of citizen-generated data in driving more inclusive, sustainable policies.

“Engaging at CSW is part of our broader efforts to integrate the importance of data and statistics into diverse conversations and settings. Our goal is to ensure that gender data is recognized, even by non-technical audiences, as a crucial element in achieving broader gender equality objectives.” – Deirdre Appel, Communications and Advocacy Manager

READ: the “ODW at CSW” blog

A packed room at ODW, PARIS21, Equality Insights, and UN Women’s CSW side event ”Connecting the Dots: Investing in Gender Data for Gender Equality.”

April: Guiding Countries on Their Open Data Journey

In April, ODW led workshops in Uzbekistan to improve their open data practices, particularly related to gender-data and geospatial data. This initiative led in partnership with the Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan not only strengthened open data practices but also marked a new chapter in fostering inclusive governance in the country.

“Country workshops are a key driver of the success of the Open Data Inventory. Through these engagements, we’ve witnessed significant improvements in the openness and coverage of official statistics. These workshops are also demand-driven, ensuring we focus on the topics and areas that are most needed and valued by the countries themselves.” — Jamison Henninger, Open Data Manager

READ: the “Uzbekistan Reinforces Open Data and Gender Data” blog

Jamison Henninger, ODW’s Open Data Manager, presenting in Uzbekistan.

May: Driving National Capacity Development with User-Driven Tools

ODW is dedicated to developing tools that strengthen the capacity of NSOs. One such tool is BRIDGE, launched in partnership with Data2X, which helps countries assess the maturity of their gender data systems and set investment priorities. We expanded this work by partnering with the Local Development Research Institute (LDRI) in Nairobi, Kenya, to implement BRIDGE in six additional Sub-Saharan African countries.

“I’ve been involved with BRIDGE since its inception in 2023, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see how we’ve moved from research and development to real-world use and impact. I particularly enjoy connecting with countries that are leveraging the tool for their own planning purposes. This progress has been driven by our deep understanding of user needs from the very beginning.” -Tawheeda Wahabzada, Senior Data and Policy Specialist

EXPLORE: the Gender Data System Maturity Model

June: Strengthening Open Data Globally

In June, we launched the seventh round of the Open Data Inventory (ODIN), the only independent global measure of the openness of official statistics. With new methodological updates and an expanded country review and engagement process, ODIN continues to play a crucial role in improving the coverage and transparency of national statistics across the world.

“With each round, ODIN sees increased engagement and impact. International indexes like the World Bank’s Statistical Performance Indicators, the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, the Open Government Partnership’s Annual Report, and the Equal Measures 2030 SDG Gender Index now rely on ODIN for assessments. Countries such as the UAE, Palestine, Ecuador, and Uzbekistan have improved their rankings through workshops and technical capacity building.” -Eric Swanson, Director of Research

READ: the “Is Open Data Needed More Than Ever?” newsletter

July: Tracking Progress Towards Gender Equality with the Gender Data Compass

In July, we participated in the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), where we presented findings from the Gender Data Compass. This tool, which tracks gender data progress across the SDGs, highlighted both the advancements made and the gaps that remain. It was an important moment to underscore how gender data can inform and accelerate progress toward the SDGs, particularly in areas like poverty, education, and health.

“It surprised us to find how many countries published gender data within their national databases that were missing in the official Global SDG Indicators Database. This helped us show leaders at the HLPF just how foundational national data systems are to achieving the SDGs and leaving no one behind.” – Amelia Pittman, Data Visualization and Design Manager

READ: the “Harnessing National Gender Data for SDGs” brief

August: Advancing our Work on Data for Climate Action

In August, we expanded our focus on climate change through key partnerships and research. We engaged with government and media stakeholders in Senegal on the importance of open climate data as part of our collaboration with PARIS21 on the Climate Change Data Ecosystem (CCDE). This partnership is helping to build data systems that support informed decision-making and drive action on climate challenges. Additionally, we become official members of the Gender Data Environment Alliance.

“Partnering with stakeholders in Senegal—ranging from NSO representatives to members of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, and journalists—was a significant moment in our efforts to demonstrate how open climate data can support the fight against climate change. We’re excited to continue working with PARIS21 to ensure that transparency and openness remain central to Climate Change Data Ecosystems, particularly as low- and middle-income countries increase their climate reporting under the Paris Agreement. – Lorenz Noe, Research Manager

READ: the “Do we have the data to realize gender inclusive climate action?” article on Apolitical

Lorenz Noe, ODW’s Research Manager presenting our OCDT to Senegal colleagues.

September: Elevating Data at the UN General Assembly

In September, Open Data Watch played an active role at the UN General Assembly and the Summit of the Future, ensuring data remained central to global development discussions. During the Commit to Data event, we collected commitments to advance data systems worldwide. We also built on the momentum from the July Expert Group Meeting with a Citizen-Generated Data event, emphasizing the power of citizen-driven data for inclusive change. Additionally, we celebrated Google’s funding support, which will help drive our mission forward.

“It is promising to see deeper collaboration between the citizen data and official statistics communities. As a member of the steering committee for the Collaborative on Citizen Data, our work is bringing different partners together and leading to impact on the ground in countries like Nepal, Kenya, and more.” – Claire Griffin, Associate, Collaborative for Citizen Data

EXPLORE: the gender data commitments as part of the Commit to Data initiative

October: Advancing SDG 17.18.1 with the Open Data Inventory

In October, we were actively engaged in the Inter-Agency Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (IAEG-SDG) meeting, where our contributions centered around SDG 17.18.1, which measures the capacity of national statistical systems to produce data for the SDGs and is composed of the coverage element of ODIN, alongside the World Bank’s Statistical Performance Indicator. Our engagement also focused on advancing the conversation on citizen data for the SDGs within the IAEG-SDGs.

“Despite commendable progress in improving internationally comparable data for SDG monitoring, still only 68 per cent of indicators have good data coverage. ODW’s research plays a pivotal role in this conversation, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger data systems to produce the data for the implementation of the 2030 agenda and to track progress on all the SDGs.” – Francesca Perucci, Director of Policy and Partnerships

LEARN: more about why SDG 17.18.1 matters in our Q&A blog

November: Setting New Precedents at the UN World Data Forum

ODW played a key role at the 5^th UNWDF as co-chair of the Program Committee and through our active involvement in sessions and side events on citizen and gender data, intersectionality, open data for Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), civil registration and vital statistics systems, and the Commit to Data Initiative. This year was particularly significant as we facilitated the first-ever participation of country representatives from the Gender Data Network across Africa and the Asia-Pacific at the Forum. Throughout the Forum, GDN members shared experiences working in national statistical offices and presented innovative approaches to closing gender data gaps.

“One of the highlights for me was seeing the GDN members actively engage with the forum and learn from each other. This experience will be invaluable as they return to their countries’ national statistical offices to strengthen gender data systems. It was also exciting to showcase the 70+ commitments we received as part of the Commit to Data campaign, which were made in the months leading up to the forum and are dedicated to advancing data practices, fueling the momentum toward the 2026 forum in Riyadh.” – Raquel Fontes, Policy and Advocacy Consultant

WATCH: the commitment makers behind the Commit to Data initiative

Members of the Gender Data Network, Open Data Watch, and PARIS21 at UNWDF.

December: Ensuring Data is not left out of Financing for Development

In December, as the year draws to a close, we advocated for financing data systems at the Second Preparatory Commission Session for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4). ODW has been actively involved in this discussion, including through our side-event “From Monterrey to Seville: How Investments in Data Drive Effective Development Financing” and input to the Elements Paper, where we emphasize how investments in data for development are essential for enabling inclusive, evidence-based decision-making.

“I remember attending the last Forum in Addis Abba in 2016. It is promising to see the increased focus, energy, and momentum around data in this year Forum’s lead up. With our partners, ODW remains committed to pushing for a financing approach that ensures data systems are inclusive, sustainable, and capable of supporting the achievement of the SDGs. – Shaida Badiee, Managing Director

READ: the position paper on why data is a critical input for financing for development

As we reflect on the past twelve months, we recognize that our achievements are made possible by the collaboration of our dedicated partners, supportive grantors, and the other members of our ODW administrative team, Reza Farivari and June Demafeliz.

We look forward to continuing our meaningful work and making further progress in 2025. Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year.