Agency in data refers to having power to shape personal and/or community data and deciding whether, when, and with whom to share it. This paper sets out the key themes that emerged from the consultation and describes a collective vision for a fair data future with agency, accountability, and action as its core features. Through consultations with more than 330 people from 63 countries, a consensus emerged on the need to critically examine the ways that power is distributed in the production, sharing, and use of data, and in how data use and governance can challenge or exacerbate existing power imbalances. The Data Values Project set out in early 2021 to address this gap and to understand what principles should underpin the future of data for development. Yet, despite efforts by individuals and agencies and in local contexts, unprecedented levels of public dialogue, debate, and attention to these issues has not translated into widespread, collective action within the development sector to tackle the unequal power dynamics that all too often underpin the design, collection, use, and governance of data. These inequities further concentrate the power and benefits of data in the hands of a small group of decision makers.Īddressing these harms and pitfalls is critical to harnessing the full potential of data to improve lives. Data and automated decision making reinforce structural inequalities-largely behind the scenes. Development agencies collect and use data primarily at the behest of donors, who are often out-of-touch with local governments and civil society.
Top-down data governance solutions do not allow space for people to hold those in power accountable.
Existing data is left unused or underused by policymakers. Far too many people remain excluded from or invisible in data while others are harmed by their inclusion in it. Yet barriers and entrenched inequalities continue to hinder data’s potential to improve lives. Meanwhile, widespread data collection and use have transformed how people advocate for change and how decision makers understand and address community needs. Access to new data sources and shifts in technology have generated critical insights into the progress and pitfalls of tracking the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Data shapes our daily lives and permeates the economic and social landscape of every country in the world.
0 kommentar(er)
