The unprecedented shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its evolving aftermath, have put our globalized economic and societal systems to a stress test laying bare the pre-existing fault lines, inefficiencies, and fragilities. For the seven countries of the Western Sahel and Lake Chad basin – Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal, it arrived amidst a high … Read More
Replicating Gender Bias from Above: Earth Observation, Machine Learning and SDG 5
With the increased application of Earth Observation (EO) data, combined with the higher spatial and temporal granularity of data and the potential benefits of Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, ethical concerns around EO have become more salient. In this science-policy brief, we examine the effects of EO data collected without a gender-inclusive perspective, and how that raw data (or processed by … Read More
Policy Paper: Using Data to Fight COVID-19 – And Build Back Better
The policy paper looks at how digital technologies and data have been applied to fight the Coronavirus. The paper summarizes main debates and questions around these initiatives to reflect on their usefulness, implications, limitations, risks and their requirements. Furthermore, it explores how the learnings of the first wave of the pandemic could provide an opportunity to use data more efficiently … Read More
Principes et options pour une stratégie et plan d’actions « données pour le développement » au Togo
Cette Note de Cadrage fait partie de l’assistance technique fournie par le bureau pays du du PNUD (Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement) Togo (CO) par Data-Pop Alliance (DPA) dans ses efforts pour promouvoir la bonne utilisation des données ouvertes et des Big Data pour le développement du Togo, y compris le suivi et la promotion des objectifs de … Read More
Harnessing Innovative Data and Technology to Measure Development Effectiveness
In this study, the authors discuss and show how new kinds of digital data and analytics methods and tools falling under the umbrella term of Big Data, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, can help measure development effectiveness. Selected case studies provide examples of assessments of the effectiveness of ODA-funded policies and programmes.