Stories, ideas, and updates from DGers around the world

Across DG’s extractives work, our aim is to help ensure a country’s natural resources actually benefit citizens. This starts with greater openness around natural resource management, to build public engagement and accountability. Building on our existing work with EITI on the EITI Global Data Portal, we’re expanding country- and local-level extractives work through several initiatives – including in Nigeria in partnership with the Ford Foundation, to build an online data collection system for the audit process.

The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call on us to “leave no one behind.” At the same time, there is an urgent need to empower individuals and communities with access to information and skills to help them thrive in the growing digital economy. But what investments can transform “data-driven decision-making” from a global commitment to a key component of community-centered development?

The Government of Malawi’s National Agriculture Investment Plan and existing M&E framework outlines priority areas for measuring results – however, currently there is no system for measuring progress against these goals. Without the ability to measure progress, how can we evaluate policy effectiveness? In Malawi, the government has recognized that an M&E management information system

Last month, we explored opportunities for better resourcing for the data revolution – and found that calls for greater coordination particularly resonated. Amongst development providers, there’s concern about duplication of efforts – particularly in a political context of decreasing budgets and increasing scrutiny for aid.

With partners Hivos East Africa and the Government of Makueni County (GMC), Development Gateway (DG) is pleased to be driving towards developing an approach to sustainable procurement processes in Makeuni, using the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS). Over the past months, we have provided support to the GMC in recording and publishing its procurement data.

Last month (March 13-19, 2019), the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Des Chiffres et des Jeunes (DCDJ), and SEJEN teams gathered at the Ecole Nationale de Statistiques et d'Economie Appliquée (ENSEA) campus for a comprehensive Semi-Annual Review (SAR) of activities carried out since the DCDJ project launched.

The Government of Madagascar’s Permanent Technical Secretariat for Aid Coordination (STP-CA) has used its Aid Management Platform since 2008, when we installed the platform to better align projects with Madagascar’s national plans and to prepare national budgets. Additionally, starting in 2017, Madagascar was selected as a pilot country to support IATI data use in reporting to the Madagascar AMP. We had a chance to talk with Zefania Romalahy, Head of the STP-CA, about how her department makes use of IATI data.

With the World Bank/ IMF Spring Meetings underway, many of us are keen to explore more and better resources for achieving the data revolution for sustainable development. As we and others have argued before, a key part of this revolution must involve greater harmonization of data collection and use efforts between country governments and development partners.

This post was written by Kady Touré, Communications Manager of the Des Chiffres et Des Jeunes (DCDJ) project, and was originally posted on the DCDJ blog. The original post can be accessed here. Ce blog est également disponible en francais ci-dessous.   As Women’s History Month came to a close last week, DG has been

The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and Development Gateway (DG) are pleased to release a new report entitled “Decision-Making and Data Use Landscaping: Better Data, Better Decisions - May 2017 to October 2018.” This work examines the role that data plays in supporting key decisions taken by DFID at the strategy, portfolio (sector or country), and programme level. Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through DG’s Results Data Initiative, the report synthesises in-depth interviews with approximately 60 DFID staff across four country offices, all sector teams, and senior management.