1887

Development Co-operation Report 2017

Data for Development

image of Development Co-operation Report 2017

The 2017 volume of the  Development Co-operation Report focuses on Data for Development. “Big Data” and “the Internet of Things” are more than buzzwords: the data revolution is transforming the way that economies and societies are functioning across the planet. The Sustainable Development Goals along with the data revolution are opportunities that should not be missed: more and better data can help boost inclusive growth, fight inequalities and combat climate change. These data are also essential to measure and monitor progress against the Sustainable Development Goals.

The value of data in enabling development is uncontested. Yet, there continue to be worrying gaps in basic data about people and the planet and weak capacity in developing countries to produce the data that policy makers need to deliver reforms and policies that achieve real, visible and long-lasting development results. At the same time, investing in building statistical capacity – which represented about 0.30% of ODA in 2015 – is not a priority for most providers of development assistance.

There is a need for stronger political leadership, greater investment and more collective action to bridge the data divide for development. With the unfolding data revolution, developing countries and donors have a unique chance to act now to boost data production and use for the benefit of citizens. This report sets out priority actions and good practices that will help policy makers and providers of development assistance to bridge the global data divide, notably by strengthening statistical systems in developing countries to produce better data for better policies and better lives.

English Also available in: French

Rethinking donor support for statistical capacity building

Investing in data brings returns. Development data are critical for policy making, planning, and monitoring and measuring impact nationally and globally. Yet statistical systems in developing countries are often under-resourced and under‑staffed and traditional support to statistical capacity building is not fit for purpose. While political support to have and use more and better data is essential to realising the full potential of data for development, donor support needs to be increased, more effective and better co-ordinated by creating, for example, compacts for a country-led development data revolution. The chapter shows how support for building statistical capacity can be revitalised for greater impact over the long term and calls for a more comprehensive and transparent system for measuring international support to statistics. It also stresses the importance of country leadership, co-operation among providers of development co-operation for data and statistics, data literacy, and innovation. Finally, the chapter sets out priority steps in rethinking donor support for statistical capacity building.

English Also available in: French

Graphs

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error