This discussion piece explores the possibilities that await humankind as AI and automation advance.
LWL #37 The Future of Health? How Big Data and AI are Reshaping Modern Medicine
LINKS WE LIKE #37 The Future of Health? How Big Data and AI are Reshaping Modern Medicine Health care is one sector for which the massive amount of data produced daily holds great promise. Data from electronic health records, medical devices and health-related apps (and other sources) has grown so large that they exceed human capabilities for analysis. This is … Read More
DPA Alumni Series Interview: Bertille Kerouault
DPA Alumni Series Interview: Bertille Kerouault In the “Alumni Series”, we catch up with former Data-Pop Alliance interns to hear about their experiences working with DPA, what they learned, and how it helped them on their career paths. The second edition features Communications Officer Anthony Deen (AD) interviewing former Intern Bertille Kerouault (BK), who worked with DPA in 2021 for … Read More
LWL #36 Crisis Data: New Technology and Humanitarian Emergencies
LINKS WE LIKE #36 Crisis Data: New Technology in Humanitarian Emergencies Accurate data is pivotal to identifying and responding to the needs of those impacted by a variety of shocks, including violent conflicts, environmental disasters, epidemics, and other life-threatening emergencies. By gathering and processing personal, public, and geographic data, aid organizations, humanitarian workers and other relevant actors are able to … Read More
The High Cost of Internet Shutdowns
DISCUSSION PIECE The High Cost of Internet Shutdowns ShutterStock At the beginning of 2022, the Kazakh government removed the price cap on fuel, leading to protest movements in the Central Asian republic. The population has long been dissatisfied with the regime, but the increase in natural gas prices, which the Kazakhs rely heavily upon, was the straw that broke the … Read More
DPA Alumni Series Interview: Shivika Singh
DPA Alumni Series Interview: Shivika Singh In the “Alumni Series”, we catch up with former Data-Pop Alliance interns to hear about their experiences working with DPA, what they learned, and how it helped them on their career paths. The first edition features Managing Director Natalie Grover (NG) interviewing former Intern Shivika Singh (SS), who worked with DPA in 2018. NG: Can … Read More
Gender Data Series: Mobility, Accessibility and the Gender Data Gap in Urban Transportation Planning
GENDER DATA SERIES Mobility, Accessibility and the Gender Data Gap in Urban Transportation Planning This is the fourth edition of Data-Pop Alliance’s “Gender Data Series”, which comprises interviews, videos, and opinion articles with gender data experts from around the globe to bring light to issues at the intersection of gender and data, such as health, migration, livelihoods and, of course, … Read More
LWL#35 The Future of Financial Inclusion: How New Technologies are Reshaping FinTech
LINKS WE LIKE #35 The Future of Financial Inclusion: How New Technologies are Reshaping FinTech Financial inclusion, or access to formal financial services, (such as bank accounts, credit, and loans) is one of the most valuable tools for breaking cycles of poverty. Unfortunately, an estimated 1.7 billion people worldwide remain “unbanked”, or lacking access to these services; half of which … Read More
Opinion Polls and Democracy: A Case Study of France
The rise of advanced public opinion technology was supposed to take the uncertainty out of elections, but what is its effect on democracies?
LWL #34 The Creative Arts and AI: The Ultimate Collaboration (or Competition?)
LINKS WE LIKE #34 The Creative Arts and AI: The Ultimate Collaboration (or Competition?) Repetitive, structured, and monotonous are adjectives often associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Normally these tools are not linked with being creative, let alone with the creation of art. However, in recent years this perception has changed and, increasingly, artists are breaking barriers … Read More
Embracing the Principles for Digital Development: Leveraging Big Data Sources for Policy Evaluation in Crisis Settings
“Leveraging Big Data Sources for Policy Evaluation and Analysis in Crisis Settings”, is a web platform for policymakers to draw insights to assist with crisis responses (including COVID-19).
The Women Leading the Fight Against Land Expropriation in Latin America
An exploration of how Indigenous women are leading efforts to curtail land expropriation in Latin America. An exploration of how Indigenous women are leading efforts to curtail land expropriation in Latin America, including how Earth Observation technology can aid these efforts.
The High Cost of “Free” Data: Zero-Rating and its Impacts on Disinformation in Brazil
This discussion piece explores the ways in which “zero-rating” programs facilitate the spread of misinformation and also help to maintain unequal power dynamics between the Global South and the Global North.
Digital Transformation in the Global South: Enhancing Citizens’ Trust
If governments in the Global South integrate digital transformation into their public services’ agenda, will they be able to enhance citizens’ trust?
LWL #33 Agriculture and AI: From the Root of Civilization to its Promising Future
We now find ourselves on the verge of the next “agricultural revolution”, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and agriculture coming together. In this edition of Links We Like, we explore the effects that this linkage will create.
The Gender Data 201 Course: Paving the Way for Gender Data Literacy
Gender Data 201 is a free online course we developed with support from Facebook and TechChange (the hosting platform.) The objective of the course is to develop a hands-on online learning experience to equip participants with the basic data skills needed to lead gender-responsive advocacy work, decision-making processes, and/or policy design and implementation.
Gender Data Series: How Can Data be Leveraged to Combat Sexual Harassment and Abuse in the Workplace?
GENDER DATA SERIES How Can Data be Leveraged to Combat Sexual Harassment in the Workplace? The “Gender Data Series” includes interviews, videos, and opinion articles with experts from around the globe. The goal of this project is to shed light on issues at the intersection of gender and data; such as health, migration, livelihoods, and gender-based violence (GBV). In the … Read More
LWL #32 Facebook, the Promise and the Peril
LINKS WE LIKE #32 Facebook, the Promise and the Peril When speaking about the purpose of his company, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been quoted as saying, “By giving people the power to share, we’re making the world more transparent.” This leads to a very important question, is Facebook itself living up to this standard? According to a recent whistleblower, … Read More
Africa’s Poverty Tsunami: Do Cash Transfers Work Best?
DISCUSSION PIECE Africa’s Poverty Tsunami: Do Cash Transfers Work Best? Africa’s GDP is poised to grow exponentially in the next decade. According to the African Development Bank, GDP growth is expected to rise by 3.4% in 2021, an increase from 2.1% in 2020. Despite this anticipated gain, the continent still faces numerous challenges. Although hunger, malnutrition, extreme weather events, water … Read More
LWL #31 Online Harassment and AI Content Moderation: Countering Threats to Freedom of Expression
LINKS WE LIKE #31 Online Harassment and AI Content Moderation: Countering Threats to Freedom of Expression The emergence and popularity of new social networks has opened space for a multitude of virtual interactions between people from diverse backgrounds. Consequently, the internet allows anyone to become a “communicator”, with access to a wide audience to share their views. With the virtual … Read More
Gender Data Series: How Technology is Being Used to Tackle the ‘Shadow Pandemic’
GENDER DATA SERIES How Technology is Being Used to Tackle the ‘Shadow Pandemic’ This is the second edition of Data-Pop Alliance’s “Gender Data Series”, which comprises interviews, videos, and opinion articles with gender data experts from around the globe to bring light to issues at the intersection of gender and data, such as health, migration, livelihoods and, of course, gender-based … Read More
LWL #30 AI and ML for People with Disabilities: Innovations and Challenges
LINKS WE LIKE #30 AI and ML for People with Disabilities: Innovations and Challenges One of the biggest opportunities that Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies have opened up is the chance to design solutions that can positively impact the lives of people with disabilities. According to the World Health Organization, about 15% of the global population (1.2 Billion people) … Read More
The CODE for Building Participatory and Ethical Data Projects
DISCUSSION PIECE The CODE for Building Participatory and Ethical Data Projects This piece was published with the support and as part of the Data Values Project (#DataValues) launched by the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, of which Data-Pop Alliance is a founding member. Photo: Rawpixel (Shutterstock) What’s the best strategy for ensuring development projects adhere to ethical guidelines? It’s … Read More
LWL #29 Blockchain and its Application to Collective Challenges
LINKS WE LIKE #29 Blockchain and its Application to Collective Challenges Although it has most commonly been associated with cryptocurrency, since its release in 2008 with the white paper “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”, the blockchain system has been always praised for its potential to transform various sectors. Namely, blockchain can be used to address environmental challenges, enable e-voting, … Read More
Un nuevo contrato social para la era del Big Data
DISCUSSION PIECE (SPANISH) Un nuevo contrato social para la era del Big Data En la era del Internet y de los datos, las sociedades han modificado a tal grado sus formas de interacción, intercambio de información, generación de valor, entre otros tantos aspectos, que se requiere un nuevo “contrato social” para asegurar la prevalencia de la democracia y sus instituciones. … Read More
LWL #28 Can Data and AI be Used as a Weapon to Fight Corruption?
LINKS WE LIKE #28 Can Data and AI be Used as a Weapon to Fight Corruption? Corruption is a major challenge for governments, companies, and societies all around the world. It is an expensive criminal and cultural practice. According to the UN, an estimated one trillion dollars are paid in bribes annually, while another 2.6 trillion are lost in corrupt activities … Read More
Gender Data Series: An Interview with Our Own Data Scientists
GENDER DATA SERIES An Interview with Our Own Data Scientists This piece introduces our new monthly “Gender Data Series”, which will comprise interviews, videos, and opinion articles with experts from around the globe to bring to light issues at the intersection of gender and data, such as health, migration, livelihoods and, of course, gender-based violence (GBV). Since the outbreak of … Read More
Addressing the Unrealized Potential of MD4D
DISCUSSION PIECE Addressing the Unrealized Potential of MD4D Piece originally published on DIAL’s website. Last week, the Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL) and Data Pop Alliance made public a free online handbook on Mobile Data for Development (MD4D), available here on the DIAL Online Catalog, as a result of a 10-month collaboration between both organizations. (Note: You can navigate the handbook … Read More
LWL #27 The Role of Big Data and AI in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
LINKS WE LIKE #27 The Role of Big Data and AI in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) One of the biggest promises of the “data age” is the creation of tools that will allow us to keep track and evaluate the performance of different projects and policies more efficiently. The main appeal of using Big data and AI for monitoring and … Read More
LWL #26 Open Source Licenses and Accessibility for AI Models
LINKS WE LIKE #26 Open Source Licenses and Accessibility for AI Models The rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) models has been accompanied by growing efforts to make these technologies accessible and available to non-experts through what is referred to as open-source licenses. As a result of this “democratization of AI” more models and training data are becoming public, a process … Read More
Working at DPA – Interns Testimonies
Working at DPA – Interns Testimonies TEXT NOT FINAL At Data-Pop Alliance, we’re are committed to give opportunities to young people that can excel in the areas of data related research. That is why we have opened several vacancies for interns in Latinoamérica and the Middle East and North Africa region to be part of our intercultural team. Below you will read … Read More
8M: Reporte y registro de violencia doméstica en Bogotá, Ciudad de México y São Paulo
DISCUSSION PIECE 8M: Reporte y registro de violencia doméstica en Ciudad de México, Bogotá y São Paulo en el contexto de COVID-19 Sobre el Día Internacional de la Mujer (8M) Alrededor del mundo el Día Internacional de la Mujer se conmemora cada 8 de Marzo (también referido como 8M) con el objetivo de crear conciencia y alentar la reflexión crítica … Read More
LWL #25 Discrimination in Data and Artificial Intelligence
LINKS WE LIKE #25 Discrimination in Data and Artificial Intelligence In commemoration of the international Zero Discrimination Day, and following the call to action from the president of the United Nations General Assembly Volkan Bozkir to “call out discrimination when we see it and advocate for a more just world”, this edition of LWL looks at issues of discrimination in … Read More
LWL #24 Fighting Misinformation with Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
LINKS WE LIKE #24 Fighting Misinformation with Big Data and Artificial Intelligence We are currently living in the age of information and data. Whether it be through news outlets or social media, everyday we are bombarded with hundreds of images and headlines that come in the shape of articles, personal stories, memes or videos. In this busy landscape, “fake news” … Read More
LWL #23 Harnessing Big Data for Mobility and Migration
LINKS WE LIKE #23 Harnessing Big Data for Mobility and Migration In 2019, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated that the number of migrants worldwide had reached 272 million, a figure that has tripled since 1970. Though most of these migrants fled their countries searching for better job opportunities, about 26 million people have been driven away from their … Read More
Violence Against Women in Latin America: The Multiple Facets of a Pervasive Issue
DISCUSSION PIECE Violence Against Women in Latin America: The Multiple Facets of a Pervasive Issue Photo: Analise Benevides. Edition: Paola Caile. November 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, a date that serves as a global reminder of what it is now refered to as the “shadow pandemic” (UN Women, 2020). But how to tackle … Read More
LWL #22 Gender, Violence and Data
LINKS WE LIKE #22 Links We Like: Gender, Violence and Data In Latin America and the Caribbean, women have been commemorating the Elimination of Violence against Women Day ever since 1981, after the assassination of the three Dominican sisters Patricia, Minerva, Maria Teresa Mirabal. Yet, it only became officially recognized and adopted by all UN countries in 1999. Today, on … Read More
Fortaleciendo la cultura de datos y las capacidades para alcanzar los ODS en Colombia
DISCUSSION PIECE Educación y política pública basada en evidencia: fortaleciendo la cultura de datos y las capacidades para alcanzar y monitorear los ODS en Colombia Durante la última década, el número de organizaciones que se han interesado por explorar el uso potencial de fuentes de Big Data para medir indicadores demográficos, económicos, sociales o ambientales ha crecido exponencialmente. En 2014, … Read More
LWL #21 Elections, Democracy and Big Data
LINKS WE LIKE #21 Elections, Democracy and Big Data With the upcoming presidential election in the U.S., media outlets such as ABC News and The Economist, and even scholars like Alan L. Abramowitz, have searched for creative and insightful ways to use big data and data analysis as a way of better understanding the electorate and forecasting the results. In … Read More
Using Data to Shed Light on the Shadow Pandemic of Domestic Violence in Mexico
DISCUSSION PIECE Using Data to Shed Light on the Shadow Pandemic of Domestic Violence in Mexico Violence against women and girls (VaWG) is a worldwide phenomenon that occurs in various forms and spaces, unfortunately including where one should feel safest: at home with one’s partner or family. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as gender inequality and domestic violence … Read More
“Mundos Paralelos”: nuevo informe con Oxfam México
“Mundos Paralelos” big data y desigualdad en la Ciudad de México ¿Cómo se pueden usar datos de movilidad para observar y entender más sobre el fenómeno de la desigualdad social en el ámbito urbano? “Mundos paralelos” es un proyecto desarrollado por Data-Pop Alliance y Oxfam México, cuyo propósito es analizar la desigualdad que enfrentan miles de habitantes en la Ciudad … Read More
Violencia doméstica en México durante el confinamiento Covid-19
Read the English version Violencia Doméstica en México durante el confinamiento por la pandemia COVID-19 Un mes después de haber iniciado las medidas de distanciamiento social en México, a través de la Jornada Nacional de Sana Distancia, las llamadas y mensajes por violencia de género a la Red Nacional de Refugios (2020) aumentaron 80%, y de acuerdo con estimaciones de … Read More
Domestic Violence in Mexico in Times of COVID-19
Lee la versión en español Domestic Violence in Mexico in Times of COVID-19 Just three weeks after the social distance measure was announced in Mexico, domestic violence related calls to the 911 emergency number increased by 60% and the federal authorities estimated that violence against women had gone up between 30% to 100% (Ortiz-b, 2020), an alarming prospect. The way … Read More
Resultados y panorama 2019 – 2020
Share Facebook-f Twitter Data-Pop Alliance nació hace siete años tras reconocer que los datos serían el elemento que definiría al siglo XXI. Desde entonces, frases como “Big Data” y “Revolución de los datos” han sido reemplazadas por “La cuarta revolución industrial” e “Inteligencia artificial”. Sin embargo, la pregunta fundamental sigue siendo la misma: ¿Cómo podemos moldear los sistemas de datos … Read More
Overview and Outlook 2019 – 2020
Data-Pop Alliance was born 7 years ago out of the recognition that the defining element of the 21st century would be data. Since, phrases such as ”Big Data” and “Data Revolution” have been largely replaced by “Fourth Industrial Revolution” and “Artificial Intelligence”, but the key question remain essentially the same: how can data-infused systems and societies be shaped to foster … Read More
Data-Pop Alliance’s Intervention at the Third Annual Convention of the Platform for Big Data in Agriculture
Simone Sala, second from the right, with the fellow panelists Dharani Dhar Burra, Derval Usher, and Fred Pivetta (Photo: ThoughtFolks Media) On October 16-18 in Hyderabad, India, Data-Pop Alliance participated in the third annual Convention of the Platform for Big Data in Agriculture. The event represents the largest global gathering of the scientific community dedicated to the application of Big … Read More
Overview of the Technical Workshop “Web Data Collection and Analysis: Web Scraping and API’s Interaction”, held at IBGE Offices in Rio de Janeiro, November 2019
On November 25-27, Data-Pop Alliance, ECLAC and IBGE conducted the first technical workshop in Rio de Janeiro. Moreover, for the first time, Data-Pop Alliance organized a three-day training tailored particularly for the needs of the staff at the Brazilian National Statistical Office (IBGE). The goal was helping them to build and strengthen internal capacities to leverage web data collection and … Read More
EmpoderaData Report and Workshop in Manchester, UK
On October 16th, Data-Pop Alliance in partnership with the University of Manchester hosted the first EmpoderaData workshop in the United Kingdom. This project aims to promote a virtuous cycle of social transformation in the global south by fostering data literacy skills applied to addressing society’s most pressing issues through the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over the course of … Read More
Training Workshop for IGBE in Rio de Janeiro
3-Day training workshop on “Web data collection and analysis: Web scraping and API’s interaction” at Rio de Janeiro november 25-27th, 2019 Overview Our upcoming training workshop on “Web data collection and analysis: Web scraping and API’s interaction” will take place on November 25-27th at the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) offices in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This 3-day training … Read More
Introducing the Complete Paper Series: “Big Data to Address Global Development Challenges”
These 4 research papers were developed in collaboration with and funded by the Agence française de développement (AFD) between 2016 and 2019 under a joint research programme with Data-Pop Alliance and research partners titled “Strengthening the evidence-base for leveraging Big Data to address global development challenges”. The starting point was the realization, in 2016, that ‘we’ still had little hard academic evidence … Read More