List of initiatives
United Nations Global Pulse
Type of initiative:
International organizations
Global Pulse is an initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General to accelerate the discovery, development and scaled adoption of big data innovation for sustainable development and humanitarian action. It works to promote awareness of the opportunities big data presents for development, forge public-private data sharing partnerships, generate high-impact analytical tools and approaches through its network of Pulse Labs (which are physical centers of innovation and R&D that bring together government, the UN and local partners in academia and the private sector), and drive broad adoption of useful innovations across the UN System. Global Pulse promotes innovation in the use of data to better inform the policy and planning of development programmes. In consultation with privacy experts, and building on existing models such as recent work in health data privacy, Global Pulse is has develop a set of Privacy and Data Protection Principles for how to apply big data safely and responsibly.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Big data
Privacy protection
Data for policy design and implementation
Data for early warning and emergency response
Global Privacy Enforcement Network
Type of initiative:
Public sector
Informal network of Privacy Enforcement Authorities of OECD member countries created to strengthen personal privacy protections by assisting public authorities with responsibilities for enforcing domestic privacy laws strengthen their capacities for cross-border cooperation. It is tasked with discussing the practical aspects of privacy law enforcement co-operation, sharing best practices in addressing cross-border challenges, working to develop shared enforcement priorities; and supporting joint enforcement initiatives and awareness campaigns.
Keywords:
Privacy protection
Responsible Data Forum
Type of initiative:
Private sector / civil society
The Responsible Data Forum is a series of collaborative events convened in the first half of 2014 to develop useful tools and strategies for dealing with the ethical, security and privacy challenges facing data-driven advocacy.
Keywords:
Privacy protection
The International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners
Type of initiative:
Public sector
Conformed by national data protection and privacy commissioners, the Conference works to enhance internationally personal data protection and privacy rights by providing a forum that encourages dialogue, cooperation and information sharing, and by promoting the development of international standards in the field of protection of personal data. It drafts, adopts and promote the implementation of joint resolutions and declarations on subjects that warrant the common interest or concern of the accredited members, including, e.g., on the Internet of Things, Big Data, and enforcement cooperation.
Keywords:
Big data
Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX)
Type of initiative:
International organizations
The goal of the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) is to make humanitarian data easy to find and use for analysis. It aims to develop an integrated data platform combining: An HDX repository, where data providers can upload their raw data spreadsheets for others to find and use; HDX analytics, a database of high-value data that can be compared across countries and crises, with tools for analysis and visualisation; and standards to help share humanitarian data through the use of a consensus Humanitarian Exchange Language.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Open data
Data for policy design and implementation
Data for early warning and emergency response
Partnership on Measuring Information and Communication Technology for Development
Type of initiative:
International organizations
The Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development is a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at improving the availability and quality of internationally comparable ICT statistics. Through its work, the Partnership helps policymakers produce statistics that are crucial to informed decision-making. The Partnership established in 2007 a core list of ICT indicators, revised in 2012, that has served as the basis for the collection of internationally comparable ICT statistics worldwide and covers the following areas: ICT infrastructure and access; access and use of ICT by households and individuals; use of ICT by businesses; the ICT sector; trade in ICT goods; ICT in education; and e-government.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Sustainable development indicators
Smart Sustainable Development Model (SSDM) Initiative
Type of initiative:
International organizations
ITU’s Smart Sustainable Development Model (SSDM) initiative aims at linking rural telecommunications development for general communications, business, education health and banking to disaster risk reduction and disaster management initiatives, to ensure an optimal use of technology and avoid duplication of efforts and investment. The overall purpose of the SSDM is to: 1. Harness the potential of ICTs in socio-economic development and use the same technologies for saving lives in times of emergencies; 2. Link rural telecommunications/ICT development to both disaster risk reduction and management efforts; 3. Make optimal use of scarce and high cost resources such as satellite systems by putting in use unused satellite capacity; 4. Create ecosystems where investments made for deploying telecom infrastructures for economic development are also used for disaster response for public safety; 5. Ensure deployment of robust and resilient communication networks that continues to provide services in the immediate aftermath of disasters; 6. Avoid duplication in efforts by development partners (governments, private sector, Inter-governmental Organizations, etc.) focusing on either development only or disaster management only without taking into account the other.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Data for policy design and implementation
Data for early warning and emergency response
Connect the World Initiative
Type of initiative:
International organizations
ITU’s Connect the World initiative aims to mobilize human, financial and technical resources for the implementation of the connectivity targets of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the Regional Initiatives adopted by Member States at the ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Data for policy design and implementation
High-Level Group for the Modernisation of Statistical Production and Services
Type of initiative:
Public sector, International organizations
The High-Level Group for the Modernisation of Statistical Production and Services (HLG) was set up by the Bureau of the Conference of European Statisticians in 2010 to oversee and coordinate international work relating to statistical modernisation. It promotes standards-based modernisation of statistical production and services. It reports directly to the Conference of European Statisticians and recevied its mandate from this body. The mission of the HLG is to oversee development of frameworks, and sharing of information, tools and methods, which support the modernisation of statistical organizations. The aim is to improve the efficiency of the statistical production process, and the ability to produce outputs that better meet user needs.
Its 2014 Big Data Project on the new challenges of using Big Data sources for official statistics has three main objectives:
- To identify, examine and provide guidance for statistical organizations on the main strategic and methodological issues that Big Data poses for the official statistics industry;
- To demonstrate the feasibility of efficient production of both novel products and ‘mainstream’ official statistics using Big Data sources, and the possibility to replicate these approaches across different national contexts; and
- To facilitate the sharing across organizations of knowledge, expertise, tools and methods for the production of statistics using Big Data sources.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Big data
Eurostat CROS-Portal page on Big Data Initiatives
Type of initiative:
International organization
Eurostat’s collaboration platform, ‘Collaboration in Research and Methodology for Official Statistics’, contains a page of links to literature on initiatives related to Big Data, including general literature going beyond official statistics, and a section on ‘production of alternatives to official statistics using unconventional sources’. It also contains links to other elements of Eurostat work on Big Data such as events and the Scheveningen Memorandum.
Keywords:
Big data
PARIS21 Project: Informing a Data Revolution (IDR)
Type of initiative:
International organizations
The overall objective of the Project is to improve the production, accessibility and use of data to support and strengthen evidence-based decision-making, identify ways in which the data needed to monitor progress on international goals and targets can be made available, and support the design and implementation of policies, programmes and projects. Its main output will be a Road Map for a data revolution, supporting the Post-2015 development process. This document will make the case for a data revolution in developing countries, identifying what will need to be done, how it might be implemented, and how much it might cost. The Road Map will be supported by a number of other outputs, including a review of the situation of statistical systems in developing countries and a limited number of case studies of important innovations in statistics. More specifically, the project aims to increase the understanding of data systems through a stock-taking exercise of 10 countries, identifying replicable interventions that, as a whole, constitute a road map for the data revolution, and build a coalition of actors willing to implement the road map.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Data for policy design and implementation
Evidence and Data for Gender Equality Initiative
Type of initiative:
International organizations
The Evidence and Data for Gender Equality (EDGE) Initiative seeks to accelerate existing efforts to generate comparable gender indicators on health, education, employment, entrepreneurship and asset ownership. This is a three-year initiative jointly executed by the United Nations Statistics Division and UN Women, in collaboration with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Activities include: (i) the development of a platform for international data and metadata compilation covering basic health, education and employment indicators; (ii) the development of standards and guidelines for measuring ownership of assets and entrepreneurship indicators; and (iii) piloting data collection on asset ownership and entrepreneurship from a gender perspective in several countries.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Open data
Data for policy design and implementation
Global strategy to improve agricultural and rural statistics
Type of initiative:
International organizations
Global strategy to improve agricultural and rural statistics is a response to the declining quantity and quality of agricultural statistics. The global strategy aims to address data requirements from Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), mainly on biofuels, global warming, the environment and food security and to provide the vision for national and international statistical systems to produce the basic data and information to guide the decision making required for the 21st century. It is based on a thorough assessment of data user needs and what is currently available.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Sustainable development indicators
Data for policy design and implementation
Data for accountability
Data for early warning and emergency response
United Nations Initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM)
Type of initiative:
Public sector / International organizations
United Nations Initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) has been launched in order to effectively manage and utilize geospatial information and resources. It aims at playing a leading role in setting the agenda for the development of global geospatial information and to promote its use to address key global challenges. It provides a forum to liaise and coordinate among Member States, and between Member States and international organizations.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
The Statistical Commission Friends of the Chair Group on Broader Measures of Progress
Type of initiative:
Public sector / International organizations
The Statistical Commission Friends of the Chair Group on Broader Measures of Progress (FOC) was established by the United Nations Statistical Commission at its forty-fourth session (26 February to 1 March 2013) as response to the request of the Rio+20 conference to launch a programme of work on broader measures of progress to complement GDP in order to better inform policy decisions.
Keywords:
Sustainable development indicators
Data for policy design and implementation
Data for accountability
The Post-2015 Data Test
Type of initiative:
Private sector / Civil society
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and The North-South Institute (NSI), in association with the network Southern Voice on Post-MDG International Development Goals (Southern Voice) and the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR), are leading “The Post-2015 Data Test”, an initiative to unpack the data revolution at the country level through an early examination of candidate post-2015 goals, targets and indicators.
Applying a select set of potential post-2015 goals, targets and indicators to a number of low, middle and high income countries – Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Peru, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Tanzania, and Turkey – , this initiative aims to assess the adequacy of data available for measuring post-2015 progress at the country level, and to inform debates and decisions on the architecture and priorities of the “data revolution.” It also seeks to identify opportunities and challenges that may arise from a universal, country-relevant post-2015 framework. Through the process, the initiative seeks to enhance the capacity of the Southern think-tanks conducting the country studies to contribute to the global policy debates shaping the post-2015 agenda, while also ensuring that the global processes are informed by country-level realities.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Sustainable development indicators
Feasibility study on the use of mobile positioning data for tourism statistics
Type of initiative:
International organizations
In 2012-2014 a study was carried out to assess the feasibility of using mobile positioning data for (tourism) statistics. The study, which was a forerunner of Eurostat’s current work in the area of Big Data, had the objective to address most technical, legal and quality-related issues that may surround the use of data stored by mobile network operators for official statistics.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Big data
Producing official statistics with Big Data
Type of initiative:
Public sector
Contest initiative, promoted by Istat and Google, and launched on the occasion of the Third Italian day of statistics. It aims at rewarding innovative projects related to the use of Big Data sources to observe events of national relevance. Winners will be announced by the 15th January 2015.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Big data
International Conference on Big Data for Official Statistics
Type of initiative:
Public sector / International organizations
The UN Statistical Commission established in March 2014 a global working group mandated to provide strategic vision, direction and coordination of a global programme on Big Data for official statistics, to promote practical use of sources of Big Data for official statistics, while finding solutions for their challenges, and to promote capacity building and sharing of experiences in this respect. The International Conference on Big Data for Official Statistics, organized by UNSD and NBS China on 28-30 October 2014, in Beijing, provided an overview of the ongoing initiatives of Big Data for official statistics at the international level, worked on concrete and practical examples of Big Data sources while addressing the concerns of methodology, standards and norms, privacy, utility, risks and research on Big Data for official statistics, and allowed for sharing national experiences of building partnerships for Big Data projects.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Big data
ABS Big Data Flagship Project
Type of initiative:
Public sector
Initiative led by the methodologists of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, intended to coordinate research and development (R&D) to build a sound methodological foundation for the mainstream use of Big Data in statistical production and analysis. The desired outcomes of the project are to:
- Promote a greater understanding of Big Data concepts, opportunities, practicalities and challenges within the ABS;
- Encourage methodological rigour in the use of different sources of Big Data for statistical production;
- Build a seminal capability in exploring, combining, visualising and analysing large, complex and volatile data sets;
- Cultivate strong links to networks of Big Data experts in government, industry, academia, and the international statistical community; and
- Enhance national and international standing for the ABS in Big Data inference.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Big data
ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers of Big Data, Big Models, New Insights
Type of initiative:
Private sector / civil society
The aim of this Centre is to create innovative mathematical and statistical models that can uncover the knowledge concealed within the size and complexity of these big data sets, with a focus on using the models to deliver insight into problems vital to the Centre’s Collaborative Domains: Healthy People, Sustainable Environments and Prosperous Societies.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Big data
data2x
Type of initiative:
Private sector / civil society
Initiative led by the United Nations Foundation, that serves as a platform for partners to work together for improved data collection and use. It works to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment by building partnerships to improve data collection and use to guide policy, better leverage investments, and spur global economic and social progress.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Sustainable development indicators
Data for policy design and implementation
Follow The Money
Type of initiative:
Private sector / civil society
Follow the Money is a community action organization that leverages open budget and aid spending data from the Nigerian government and its aid partners. The organization also advocates for specific issues that impact communities, most recently, in the Zamfara State. Follow the Money activists collect, publish, and visualize data, then connect findings to national and global social media networks in order to bring government attention to crises on the ground that require resources or immediate action. Once visualized, the data become a resource for citizens in affected communities to track government expenditures against actual outcomes. The team has tackled issues like lead poisoning, flood relief, and most recently, education. They also host partners with other organizations, like Indigo Trust U.K. to offer regular data literacy events for other non-profits, journalists, government officials, legal professionals, and open data activists.
Keywords:
Open data
Data for accountability
European Union Open Data Portal
Type of initiative:
International organizations
The European Union Open Data Portal is the single point of access to a growing range of data from the institutions and other bodies of the European Union (EU). Data are free to use and reuse for commercial or non-commercial purposes. By providing easy and free access to data, the portal aims to promote their innovative use and unleash their economic potential. It also aims to help foster the transparency and the accountability of the institutions and other bodies of the EU. The EU Open Data Portal is managed by the Publications Office of the European Union. Implementation of the EU’s open data policy is the responsibility of the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology of the European Commission.
Keywords:
Open data
World Bank Open Data portal
Type of initiative:
International organizations/code>
Free and open access to data about development in countries around the globe.
Keywords:
Open data
Open Data Innovations Network
Type of initiative:
Public sector / International organizations / Private sector / Civil society
Open Data Innovations Network (ODIN) is a community of practice supported by the World Bank-initiated knowledge partnership called “Open Development Technology Alliance” and is facilitated by the Web Foundation and other knowledge partners. The main objective of ODIN is to catalyze and support open government data initiatives and related open innovation ecosystems in developing and transition countries by leveraging experience and expertise from more developed countries and pioneers in the developing world.
The ODIN connects government, donor and civil society champions with OGD change agents and experts to facilitate the adoption of open data tools, methods and principles and catalyze broader open government initiatives.
Keywords:
Open data
Open Data For Development
Type of initiative:
Public sector / International organizations
Open Data for Development (OD4D) is a coalition among initiatives in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean that aims to produce knowledge on how to harness the power of open data to achieve positive developmental outcomes. OD4D is setting a Southern-led collaborative agenda that brings together innovation, research and practice. Through conferences, convening, scoping studies, measurement and evaluation, research and bespoke work with government, civil society and entrepreneurs we are working to strengthen an inclusive eco-system for open data.
Keywords:
Open data
The Open Data Research network
Type of initiative:
Private sector / Civil society
The Open Data Research network is a collaborative project, coordinated by the Web Foundation and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), that exists to: (1) Connect open data focussed researchers from across the world; (2) Bring together information and news relating to research into the implementation and impacts of open data initiatives; (3) Host focussed research projects into open data. The network is open to all researchers interested in open data, and has a particular focus on research into open data in the global South.
Keywords:
Open data
Project Open Data
Type of initiative:
Public sector / Private sector / Civil society
Collaborative, open-source project to facilitate broader adoption of open data practices in government. It consists of a collection of code, tools, and case studies – to help agencies adopt the Open Data Policy and unlock the potential of government data. Anyone – government employees, contractors, developers, the general public – can view and contribute.
Keywords:
Open data
SDMX – Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange
Type of initiative:
International organizations
SDMX is an initiative to foster standards for the exchange of statistical information, sponsored by BIS, ECB, Eurostat, IMF, OECD, UN and the World Bank
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Nigeria MDG Information System
Type of initiative:
Public sector
The Nigeria MDG Information System (NMIS) is an online portal created by the Nigerian Government to promote the use of data in the local planning process and to encourage and help other organizations better plan future infrastructure and move Nigeria closer to achieving the MDGs. It is designed to be used by planners, researchers and the broader global development community. Its website asks for the global community to participate in keeping this key national asset up-to-date with the latest health, education and water facility information.
Keywords:
Sustainable development indicators
Data for policy design and implementation
Data-Pop Alliance
Type of initiative:
Private sector / Civil society
Joint initiative on Big Data and development of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI), the MIT Media Lab, and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) to promote a ‘people-centered Big Data revolution’. Its goal is to help craft and leverage the new ecosystem of Big Data—i.e. new personal data, new tools, new actors—to improve decisions and empower people in a way that avoids the pitfalls of a new digital divide, de-humanization and de-democratization.
Data-Pop Alliance aims to serve as a designer, broker and implementer of ideas and activities bringing together institutions and individuals around common principles and objectives through collaborative research, training and capacity building, technical assistance, convening, knowledge curation, and advocacy. Its thematic areas of focus include official statistics, socio-economic and demographic methods, conflict and crime, climate change and environment, literacy and ethics.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Big data
Sustainable development indicators
Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Type of initiative:
Public sector / International Organizations / Private sector / Civil society Launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in August 2012, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) mobilizes scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector in support of sustainable development problem solving at local, national, and global scales. It aims to accelerate joint learning and help to overcome the compartmentalization of technical and policy work by promoting integrated approaches to the interconnected economic, social, and environmental challenges confronting the world. The SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and civil society to elaborate on the concept of the Data Revolution, identifying concrete actions and next steps.
Keywords:
Capacity development and modernization of statistical systems
Sustainable development indicators
Data for policy design and implementation