“Open Algorithm (OPAL) for Public Data and Good” seeks to merge different “privacy enhancing techniques” (PETs), such as federated learning, differential privacy, and negative databases, to allow trusted third parties such as researchers or official institutions to analyze censuses or national surveys’ microdata produced by national statistical offices (NSOs), as well as other administrative records, to derive indicators using these … Read More
Professional Training Program “Leveraging Big Data for Sustainable Development”
Carried on in partnership with United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), this series of courses aimed to help practitioners and policy-makers to develop and implement Big Data innovation projects, policies, and partnerships in support of sustainable development objectives. The content was structured into three main modules: contexts and concepts; methods and tools; and strategy and conception / ethics and engagement. … Read More
Professional Training Program “Big Data for Measuring the Digital Economy”
In partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), DPA offered a series of workshops particularly focused on Big Data and the Digital Economy in the Latin American and the Caribbean region designed for development practitioners, policymakers, and researchers. Five editions were delivered in: Santiago de Chile (March 2016), São Paulo (September 2017) —in … Read More
Workshop “Big Data for Sustainable Development and Climate Change”
This series of workshops organized by Data-Pop Alliance, in coordination with GIZ and GIZ Colombia, addressed key terms, necessary tools and challenges in the Big Data and sustainable development landscape, focusing on the applicability of these information sources in projects related to climate change adaptation and mitigation. This in-person workshop provided an introduction to the “3 C’s of Big Data” … Read More
Workshop on Survey Methodology with CETIC & NIC
Data-Pop Alliance offered training in São Paulo with the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (CETIC) and the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC) annually from 2016 through 2019. The 2019 edition included a session by DPA Director and Co-Founder Emmanuel Letouzé titled “Data for Public Statistics: Data Science, Big Data & Artificial Intelligence”, click below … Read More
Workshop “Using Machine Learning with Satellite Imagery for the Measurement of a Sustainable Development Goal Indicator”
This two-day online workshop with government officials from the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) in Peru and other public agencies sought to strengthen institutional capacities for the improvement of the national statistical system, particularly by leveraging non-traditional sources of data in administrative reports to measure different indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) towards the achievement of the … Read More
EmpoderaData
EmpoderaData builds upon the success of the “Quantitative Step” (Q-Step) program, which was developed as a strategic response to the shortage of quantitatively-skilled social science graduates in the United Kingdom. Together, University of Manchester and Data-Pop Alliance expanded upon the program’s excellent results, exploring this model in the Global South as the “EmpoderaData Project”. The project aimed to promote a … Read More
Policy Paper “Sharing is Caring: Four Key Requirements for Sustainable Private Data Sharing and Use for Public Good”
How data are shared and used will determine, to a large extent, the future of democracy and human progress. In this context, the authors of the paper “Sharing is Caring” describe four key requirements that must inform European efforts to ensure that private data are shared and used for the public good in a safe, ethical, and sustainable manner. This … Read More
Position Paper “How to Use Big Data? Leading Experts’ Roadmap to Data-Driven Innovation Projects. Key Results from the Digitasing Europe Initiative”
This paper, developed in cooperation with the Vodafone Institute for Society and Communications, highlights overall takeaways and recommendations in the areas of privacy protection, responsible data governance, transparency and accountability for unleashing big data-driven innovation, including: (1) putting ‘privacy by design’ into action: privacy-preserving technical procedures and standards for data sharing and use; (2) focusing on responsibility in data use: … Read More
Event Paper: “Big Data and Privacy: Understanding the Possibilities and Pitfalls of the Data Revolution in Germany”
How can we make full use of data analytics in a responsible and human-centered manner? Which forms of data use should be excluded, and who should set the rules? As the first event paper in the “Digitising Europe” series (published with the Vodafone Institute for Society and Communications), this publication captures the major key themes emerging from the initiative’s events … Read More
White Paper “The Law, Politics and Ethics of Cell Phone Data Analytics”
This white paper, developed in partnership and with funding from The World Bank, examines Call Detail Records (CDRs) and their expanding role in providing insight into human behavior, movements, and social interaction. After providing additional contextual elements (Part 1), the paper summarizes current legal frameworks (Part 2), before exploring structural socio-political parameters and incentives structuring the sharing of CDRs (Part … Read More
Workshop “Web Data Collection and Analysis”
In November 2019, Data-Pop Alliance, in partnership with ECLAC and IBGE, conducted its first technical workshop in Rio de Janeiro, tailored specifically to the needs of the staff at the Brazilian National Statistical Office (IBGE). The goal was to help them to build and strengthen internal capacities to leverage web data collection and analysis in their projects. The workshop emerged … Read More
Support to the Design of Tunisia’s National Strategy for Development of Statistics (NSDS)
DPA, in collaboration with the UN System in Tunisia, the National Statistical Council (NSC), the National Institute of Statistics (NIS), and under the implementation leadership of UNDP, sought to assist the NSC and the NIS in the development of the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics in the country. The general objectives of this consultancy focused primarily on (i) … Read More
Development of Equatorial Guinea’s First Voluntary National Review (VNR)
DPA, in collaboration with the UNDP Country Office in Equatorial Guinea, and the UN System, is assisting the Government of Equatorial Guinea in the development of the country’s first Voluntary National Review (VNR), which involves the assessment and presentation of the progress made towards the achievement of the SDGs, including the pledge to “Leave no one behind”. The purpose of … Read More
Assessing the Strategies to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Haiti
DPA, in support of Haiti’s Integrated National Financing Framework (CINF), and in close collaboration with the UNDP Haiti and the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE), has conducted a consultation with the objective of establishing a performance assessment of the achievement of the MDGs, deviations from targets, their justifications, and lessons learned. Additionally, the study measured the progress towards … Read More
Harnessing Innovative Data and Technology to Measure Development Effectiveness
In partnership with Southern Voice, this research project aimed to develop a methodological framework for assessing development effectiveness and rebuild this discourse from the ground up, informed by Southern perspectives. The key objective of the study was to develop a methodological guide that makes use of new sources of data and techniques in assessing development effectiveness. The study provided an … Read More
Measuring the Unmeasured: Innovative Approaches to Measuring SDG Tier III Indicators
In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), DPA provided support to the Europe and Central Asia Regional Hub in Istanbul in the project “Measuring the Unmeasured” to contribute to SDG measurement and achievement. The effective use of data for public policy is of critical importance to the UN in its efforts to strengthen evidence-based programming and policy development; … Read More
Capacity-Building Workshop on the Analysis and Application of Quantitative and Qualitative Data
DPA developed a four week training on qualitative and quantitative analysis and tools for the members of non-profit organization EQUIS Justicia para las Mujeres. It included various sessions, with online and in-person guided tutorials conducted by DPA facilitators, during which examples were provided through use cases based on real projects, in addition to demonstrating different techniques and tools for data … Read More
Strengthening of Technical Capacities and a Regional Exploratory Study of 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), aims to strengthen the technical capacities of government officials in LAC to leverage Big Data for sustainable development and official statistics. During the project’s first phase, the project sought to explain the panorama of Big Data and sustainable development in LAC, focusing on the applicability … Read More