In February, Open Data Watch (ODW) traveled to snowy Ottawa to co-host ConVERGE: Connecting Vital Events Registration and Gender Equality with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). During the conference, ODW and the IDRC released the third and final knowledge brief on best practices and key challenges for national governments and the international community to improve CRVS systems. End-month was marked by preparations for discussions at the 51st session of the UN Statistical Commission on open data, gender data, and privacy.
Below is a list of additional sustainable development data articles and reports published in February. If there is something else to add, please contact us.
February
Global Initiative to Standardize Fairness in the Trade of Data (February)
The IEEE Standards Association publishes a piece on a collaboration to develop a standards framework on governing the fair trade of human and personal data. Their mission is to discover, document, and prepare a set of standards for the IEEE Standards Association ensure fair trade of data among consumers, communities, corporations, and governments. (source)
Coronavirus is a proving ground for scientific transparency (2/1)
Tim McDonnell, a reporter for Quartz, authors a piece on the importance of open and reliable data during global health emergencies such as Covid-19. He explains that the epidemic has sparked a new level of openness and collaboration among global health scientists who are sharing data online to predict the spread of the virus. (source)
Making risk data work harder for adaptation in small island state (2/3)
This World Bank blog, authored by Pierre Chrzanowski, Gaurav Bhardwaj, and Nicholas Jones, explains the necessity for robust open data infrastructures in small island developing states (SIDS). The authors highlight that while extensive research has been conducted on how to strengthen access to the scientific evidence on natural disasters and climate change, there are still challenges surrounding the dissemination and the re-use of this crucial environmental data. (source)
How can data build a truer picture of the gender gap in food insecurity? (2/4)
Teresa Welsh authors a piece for Devex on the importance of getting an accurate picture of food security between men and women. She explains that many times the gender gap is invisible because traditional household survey methods are targeting the head of the household and missing intrahousehold gender dynamics. (source)
In Kyrgyzstan, Modernizing Civil and ID Systems Increases Trust in Government (2/4)
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) publishes a case study based on Kyrgyzstan which reveals how new measures to transform the governments traditional paper-based identity system into a highly integrated digitized system have increased the availability of up-to-date identity data. The initiative has been shown to have positive effects on government programs and is projected to save up to USD 300 million per year in the national budget. (source)
Let’s get counting: the Disability Measurement in Household Surveys Guidebook is out! (2/6)
With an estimated one billion people in the world living with a disability, this World Bank blog authored by Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, Valentina Costa, and Marco Tiberti, commends the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for recognizing the importance of disaggregated data including disaggregating by persons with disabilities as a priority and promoting the collection of high-quality disability data. (source)
UN Reports on System-wide Tools for SDG Data (2/6)
IISD announces the UN Secretary’s General release of a report on the progress of federated national and global data hubs for the SDGs. The report also provides an update on the Data for Now initiative led by the UN Statistics Division, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, the World Bank, and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network to build statistical capacity in countries and promote the use of technology. (source)
Expert’s take: By undercounting single mothers, we underserve families (2/11)
Antra Bhatt of UN Women authors a piece on the consequences of not counting lone mothers in official datasets. She mentions that often official sources, such as household surveys, are not accurately depicting gender bias and are not capturing the challenges of single mothers. (source)
Open Earth observations for sustainable urban development (2/11)
The Group on Earth Observations announces their new discussion paper with AidData on the role of Earth Observations for sustainable urban development. The report focuses on Earth observation case studies which are adding to traditional data sources and offering a range of information on atmospheric conditions, measurements of vegetation and land use, and population densities. (source)
UK’s 2021 census could be the last, statistics chief reveals (2/12)
Danny Shaw of BBC News highlights recent discussions of the UK’s quest to find cheaper alternatives for the census. The Office for National Statistics has reported that the census in England and Wales is estimated to cost £906m which is almost double the figure for 2011. Danny explains that the former University of Aberdeen vice-chancellor that research is underway to understand if accurate information could be obtained via other cheaper means, such as the Ordnance Survey. (source)
Riding on data for mobility (2/13)
Dileep Konatham and Yeshwanth Reddy, author a piece for The Hindu on data-based governance as a mechanism to reduce traffic congestion. They explain that data collected from multiple sources such as CCTV cameras, automatic traffic counters, map services, and transportation services can help reduce travel time and cost. (source)
Regional Statistics Project Will Help Close Data Gaps on Poverty and Gender in the Pacific (2/14)
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors announces USD 4.4 million to fund a project titled, Statistical Innovation and Capacity Building in the Pacific Islands, which aims to modernize data collection and improve statistical capacity in the Pacific. In addition, they explain that another USD 2 million will be distributed to Tonga and Kiribati which will function as pilot countries to demonstrate improvements and the impact of the initiative. (source)
ECLAC Members Approve Gender Commitment Prior to CSW 64 (2/14)
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean members announce their commitment to accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Regional Gender Agenda. The 48 commitments were drafted during the XIV Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean which took place in Santiago, Chile from 27-31 January 2020. (source)
‘Mapping Makoko’ Project Shortlisted for Sigma Award (2/17)
Kirk Henderson discusses a Pulitzer Center-supported project called Mapping Makoko, which explores a mapping project in Lagos, Nigeria. The project lead by Jacopo Ottaviani, combines data, satellite images, and on-the-ground multimedia journalism to help map the Makoko community living in Nigeria’s flooding slum. Kirk Henderson explains that this area appears as a near blank space on most maps with little information available for preparing for emergencies or adequately allocating resources. (source)
Closing data gaps in Peru support nutrition subsidies (2/17)
Natasha Spencer covers a new case study published by the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and the Center of Excellence for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems on the importance of increasing interoperability between civil registration and vital statistics systems and identity management systems. They use the case of Peru to demonstrate how linking these two systems has improved access to nutrition rights and the implementation of more inclusive policies. (source)
Household Surveys in a Changing Data Landscape (2/20)
The United Nations World Data Forum Webinar series holds a webinar on the invaluable role of household surveys for understanding inequalities among social class and gender, both of which are critical for the monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals. (source)
Q&A: Why averages fail to answer crucial questions about women and girls (2/21)
Rebecca Root has a conversation with Papa Seck, UN Women’s chief statistician, on ensuring no one is left behind during the efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Papa Seck discusses the importance of analyzing intersectional inequalities and the importance of disaggregated data to identify the most vulnerable populations. (source)
Building trust in how you handle data: a hierarchy (2/21)
Open Data Inventory’s CEO, Jeni Tennison, shares four layers to building a trustworthy data ecosystem within organizations. She explains this begins from data collection and includes initiatives like training in data ethics or advising on good data governance policy. (source)
Cameroon National Institute of Statistics Hosts Data Communication Strategy Workshop Developed by PARIS21 (2/24)
The Cameroon National Institute of Statistics (INS) hosts a workshop on developing a National Strategy for Communication and Dissemination of Statistical Information in the city of Mbalmayo. This initiative was developed in partnership with PARIS21 and brought together the INS, government officials, and the media to collaborate on a data dissemination strategy. (source)
From better data to development solutions: capacity building in the Democratic Republic of Congo (2/26)
Masako Hiraga, Yele Batana, and Melata Assefa co-author a piece for the World Bank which highlights a project from the Democratic Republic of the Congo that aims to strengthen national statistical capacity by generating and developing data dissemination strategies. This case study is part of a larger initiative from the Statistics for Results Facility (SRF), a multi-donor trust fund that aims to improve production, availability, and use of national data for evidence-based decision making. (source)
CRVS: Bringing Joy to People’s Lives (2/26)
Nasikarn Nitiprapathananun from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific tells the personal stories behind weak CRVS systems and the importance of advancing these systems in the Asia Pacific region. She looks forward to the Second Ministerial Conference on CRVS in Asia and the Pacific in October 2020 in Bangkok. The Conference will discuss issues such as the link between CRVS and legal identity and CRVS as a tool to achieve the SDGs. (source)