Entering the Age of Data: A Focus on Data Inclusion

Population 2021
(Millions)

HDI Score
2019 (Max. 1)

SDG Score
2020-2021
(Max. 100)

Gender Inequality
Index Score
(Max. 1)

Internet Inclusivity
Index 2022
(100 countries)

Sources: 1. World Bank (2021), 2. UNDP (2019), 3. Sustainable Development Report (2021), 4. UNDP (2019), 5. Economist Impact (2022).

Overview

“Entering the Age of Data: A Focus on Data Inclusion” is the second video in our new series on Big Data and development.

Literacy is a deeply political question. As explored by our experts, becoming literate means being able to question the power structures and dynamics of the context in which you are literate – “Being able to relate to data is being able to relate to power and ask the important questions.” Who owns the data? Who is impacted by the data? What does data inclusion mean?

Filmed by Marina Katz.

A series of experts come together to discuss what data literacy is, what inclusion means in the age of data, and how this impacts the data revolution.

This short film features interviews with:
Amanda Noonan, Director of Internews Center for Innovation and Learning
Johannes Jütting, General Manager of PARIS21
William Hoffman, Head of Data-Driven Development at World Economic Forum
Jeanne Bourgault, President and CEO of Internews
Emmanuel Letouzé, Co-Founder and Director of Data-Pop Alliance

This video coincides with our newly published paper entitled “Beyond Data Literacy: Reinventing Community Engagement and Empowerment in the Age of Data,” written in collaboration with Internews Center for Innovation and MIT Media Lab Center for for Civic Media. It also coincides with our Beyond Data Literacy Workshop, cohosted by Internews Center for Innovation. Here is a blog on the Workshop.

Watch the first video in the series on Big Data and development, “What is Data Literacy?”

Projects

Strengthening of Technical Capacities in Big Data for Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

This project developed with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), strengthened the technical capacities of government officials in Latin America and the Caribbean to take advantage of Big Data for sustainable development and official statistics. During the first phase of the project, through an exploratory study (see Publication below), we analyzed the current state of the infrastructure, institutional framework, regulatory framework, capacities and use cases of Big Data for the generation of public policies in 5 LAC countries: Bolivia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala and Peru.

The second phase focused on developing four capacity building workshops between June 2022 and March 2023.

Introduction to Big Data for Sustainable Development
Big Data and Poverty Analysis for Sustainable Development
Big Data and Health Analysis for Sustainable Development
Big Data, Security and Violence for Sustainable Development

This training itinerary provided participants with a comprehensive knowledge of the key concepts, the necessary tools and the main challenges of Big Data for sustainable development, with a special emphasis on the applicability of these data sources for statistical purposes.

Support to the Inter-American Development Bank in the Identification of Technological and Big Data Tools for Current, Ongoing, and New IDB Projects

This project aimed to support the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in preparing for the IDB Andean Summit event held on November 29, 2018, in Quito, Ecuador. A study was generated that identified new Big Data tools being developed and/or used by academic institutions, international organizations, and the public or private sector that would concretely benefit current and future IDB projects. Based on DPA’s experience, the consultancy’s goal was to contribute to the IDB’s knowledge, identification, and capabilities regarding available technological tools that provided observable material improvements at different stages of current or future projects. The study focused on IDB projects in five countries in the region: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.