A year in, here's how the Data Values movement is unlocking a fair data future for all
Digest #59
As technology and digital platforms continue to advance, data is increasingly central to the way they operate. However, many individuals are left out of data entirely, while others face negative consequences from being included. These dynamics deepen existing inequalities. We must confront these challenges head-on to rebalance power dynamics within data.
This is what the Data Values campaign aims to do by uniting individuals and organizations around the world who are dedicated to challenging power dynamics within data. The campaign is a collective effort to transform every aspect of data practices—from collection to funding, management, and use—to ensure equitable benefits for all.
So what has the Data Values movement achieved in the past 12 months? Read on to learn more and to hear from six partners about ways that Data Values has influenced their work.*
We’ve built a community.
More than 600 individuals and organizations from over 100 countries have joined the campaign, forming a global network of allies and advocates. This global community engages in regular, online discussions. These gatherings serve as platforms for the movement to come together to discuss and plan actions to advance the Data Values Manifesto. We're not just talking; we're taking concrete steps to change how data is funded, designed, managed, and used for the better.
We’ve engaged with global leaders.
The Data Values campaign has hosted sessions at six global events this year, including at the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s Stats Cafe, the World Data Forum, the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum, and RightsCon. We've hosted meetings and workshops with national governments and institutions in places like Costa Rica and Botswana and started conversations about the importance of Data Values in diverse contexts around the world. This month, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data’s Power of Data High Impact Initiative, launched at the UN Headquarters during the SDG Summit, saw 15 governments announce national data partnerships to drive investments in data systems and to use data ethically and effectively to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We’ve launched innovative programs to advance local action.
The Data Values Advocates Program’s first cohort features seven grassroots activists from around the world leading action and tackling data inequalities in their local communities. Additionally, in spring 2023, we introduced the Fairer Data Future Award Program, providing small grants to organizations pushing for a more equitable data future. Participants in both programs arrange workshops, training sessions, events, and social media campaigns to amplify underrepresented voices and advocate for fair, transparent, and responsible data systems. As these programs are nearing completion, we're excited to showcase the impact they've made at Festival de Datos in Uruguay this November.
We’ve worked with a network of partners to put Data Values into practice.
Taking the lead in promoting and implementing Data Values are organizations like the National Administrative Department of Statistics of Colombia, Joint IDP Profiling Services, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network—among others. Individuals within these organizations have initiated conversations on Data Values with officials and government stakeholders and organized events and workshops for national statistical offices, civil society, and others to discuss and implement the Manifesto.
The wide range of organizations and individuals engaged in the Data Values movement around the world have inspired us by applying the five principles of the #DataValues Manifesto in unique ways. Some have integrated the principles into their work, using them to reshape their data practices, while others have used the Manifesto to educate others or to spur action.
Here are six examples of Data Values in action from organizations based in the UK, India, Uganda, India, U.S., South Korea, and Costa Rica:
Empowering marginalized communities through data literacy and confidence
Bronwen Robertson, Co-Founder of Data4Change (UK)
“In a world where the power of data is so often stripped away from vulnerable communities, our approach focuses on supporting communities to reclaim their data and to amplify their stories.
We work alongside communities to co-design data collection that respects their voices, whether it's through art projects or community-guided surveys, replacing traditional extractive data practices with participatory models. In line with the Data Values campaign, our efforts are aimed at democratizing and humanizing data.
Additionally, we were drawn to the Data Values campaign for its emphasis on community and the social aspect of data. Data should serve people, not systems, and collaboration is the key to a fairer data future.”
Placing youth at the center of data and data values
Joon Baek, Co-founder of Youth For Privacy (U.S. and South Korea)
“Youth for Privacy has been actively engaged in supporting the Data Values campaign over the past year through a series of impactful actions and activities. The Data Values Bootcamp was a dynamic three-day event that brought together 50 participants from 18 countries. The bootcamp featured expert talks, workshops, panels, and networking opportunities, designed to empower attendees with knowledge and skills in data, privacy, and responsible technology.
The Data Values campaign is effective in articulating the normative framework on how data should be used. A group of college students in Buenos Aires might have radically different experiences with technology than a group of high school students in South Korea or working professionals in New York, but they and a lot of other groups agree that the five Data Values ‘reflect their values.’ The Data Values are an effective tool… to start conversations on data.”
Exploring accountable and transparent data governance
Suha Mohamed, Senior Partnerships Manager at Aapti Institute (India)
“Since its inception, Aapti Institute has launched a series of initiatives through various streams of work to support emerging stewards (non-profits, data cooperatives, collectives) and explore how data can be better governed.
Building awareness around the unique value that data holds for individuals and communities globally is crucial to just and equitable data futures and needs to be a collaborative effort. We need platforms that don’t just accommodate these diverse viewpoints but encourage stakeholders from the public and private sectors to support their translation into practice. The Data Values campaign provides an ideal space to unpack how lived realities can be transformed into equitable and responsible practices that power brokers, policymakers and practitioners in the data economy can advocate for.”
Institutionalizing Data Values in academia
Allison Quesada Aguero, Coordinator of Innovaap - University of Costa Rica
“At Innovaap-UCR, we have hosted events involving public officials from 12 public organizations. These events aim to raise awareness about the significance of data in decision-making, utilizing the calls to action from the [Data Values] Manifesto as a practical tool. We are dedicated to fostering the development of young individuals who will be future decision-makers. We aim to instill in them the perception of data as an essential work tool for achieving equity in accessing public goods and services.
As individuals within an academic environment, we leverage the trust and relationships established with society and organizations to construct bridges that facilitate collaborative efforts. This involves dispelling misconceptions that hinder the sharing or generation of data collectively.”
Tracking how data is shared, governed, and used for global public good
Tim Davies, Research and Practice Director at Connected by Data (UK)
“At Connected by Data, we’ve been delighted to work on research into measuring data values with the Data Values Project, the Global Data Barometer, and the International Development Research Centre. Through this, we've had the opportunity to look at the role that existing indicator data can play in supporting advocacy for data values and to think about the kinds of global indicators that would be useful to track progress towards a global norm of participatory data governance.
Our work is all about giving communities a more powerful voice in how data is governed, and we were able to bring together an international group alongside RightsCon, with involvement from the Data Values Project, to explore common advocacy agendas for more collective and participatory approaches to data governance. In the UK, we've been focused on supporting civil society to organize around the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill and building stronger narratives that make clear why it is important for communities to have a say in how data works, including creating this video.”
A data-driven approach to enhancing community collaboration
Eric Nwudala, Executive Director of Lifeline Youth Empowerment Center, Uganda
“Lifeline Empowerment, as a nascent organization, has embarked on a transformative journey to instill a data-driven approach into its operations. Recognizing the need for collaboration, we initiated our ‘Iterambera’ program, collaborating with various organizations to share our data expertise spanning data collection, analysis, governance, and integrity.
The Data Values Manifesto, instrumental in altering organizational perspectives on data, serves as a cornerstone in our engagements with diverse organization leaders. Over the past year, we have partnered with seven organizations, witnessing firsthand the transformative potential of data comprehension for Ugandan communities. Most notably, we have observed organizational shifts toward data-driven and evidence-based project and program design.”
Join the Data Values movement.
As we reach the first anniversary of the Data Values campaign, it's clear that significant progress has been made towards achieving a fairer data future. The community has grown, partnerships have been strengthened, and innovative programs have been launched. The contributions of organizations like the Aapti Institute, Connected by Data, Data4Change, Innovaap-UCR, Lifeline Empowerment, and Youth for Privacy have been instrumental in creating a more equitable data landscape. Together, we can continue pushing for positive change and ensure that data serves people and empowers communities.
One year in, we're excited to look back at the incredible moments we've had, the collective impact we've made, and the future action that awaits. Join us on October 3, 2023, at 9 a.m. EDT (2 p.m. BST | 4 p.m. EAT | 6.30 p.m. IST) to celebrate year one of the campaign and share your ideas and insights to shape the future of the Data Values movement.
Want to stay up to date on campaign activities? Subscribe to the Data Values newsletter for more updates as we continue this incredible journey toward a fairer data future for all.
*This post contains selected comments by six Data Values partners, originally published September 21 on Data4SDGS.org. Read the original post with their comments in full here.
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