Data in international development

Trends and patterns in ICT4D

by Zara Rahman (adapted from a presentation done at republica 2014 together with Becky Kazansky)

What is ICT4D?

information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) refers to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the fields of socioeconomic development, international development and human rights.

Related movements/trends

● #commisaid (communication is aid)● open development ● D4D (data for development) ● data revolution / post-2015 / SDGs● development 2.0

UN Data revolution“Mobilizing the data revolution for sustainable development”

UN Data Revolution: key areas

● Accessible data● Sustainable development goals ● Data innovation● Data landscape

Accessible data

● open data ● data portals ● data literacy trainings (eg. data

bootcamps)● transparency/accountability

Sustainable Development Goals

● post-2015 goals: measuring progress● involving poor + marginalised people ● openness on SDG process ● better service delivery ● demonstrating impact

Data innovation

● new insights with big data ● developing new technologies ● innovation → quick, iterative, new ideas● understanding needs

Data landscape

● building better data infrastructure● “challenge of invisibility” ● communications - internal/external ● better decision making

Examples of ICT4D projects

● national ID cards ● “drones for good”● access to internet● mobile money ● crisis mapping● satellites → disaster preparedness ● education (eg. one laptop per child)● access to information● … and many more

How does all this intersect with the right to privacy for vulnerable people?

Everywhere, people tell stories about aid agencies that came to their area, asked lots of questions...and then disappeared.

- Time to Listen- hearing people on the end of international aid, 2012

“Since December, Syrians must be registered in order to get access to free healthcare and schooling outside of camps.” - Reuters, January 2015

I’m verified, therefore I exist

“Turkey has provided some 1.5 million Syrian refugees with biometrics IDs… the IDs will be used in the provision of aid, job offers, education + social opportunities. The database will also be used to identify those who have been involved in criminal activity.” Jan 12th, 2015 - Al Arabiya

“Improving the accuracy of registration data is a priority for UNHCR in our efforts to make a positive impact in the lives of the people we serve. It is also of significant importance to host governments” - Jan 22nd, 2014 director of UNHCR’s division of

programme support, Malawi.

Notions of Consent

There is a big disparity in how data is collected from individuals in Europe compared to less developed countries… Humanitarian agencies rarely inform individual interviewees in assessments why we are collecting the data, how it will be used and stored, nor do we inform them of how they can access the aggregated results of the assessment.

- aid worker

Mobile health initiatives

“a fifth (18%) of participants reported that someone else had inadvertently received their IVR or SMS” containing AIDS and HIV information”

- Dialing down risks, by Hibah Hussain for the New America Foundation (August 2013)

Major issues

● Subjectivisation: beneficiaries = passive data subjects

● Consent: different meanings and importance ● Privacy rights: geographic locations● Technical literacy: practitioners + beneficiaries ● Power disparities: strengthened with use of

technology● Technical design problems: verification/audit?

Ways Forward

Appropriate use of technology within development projects (though this is tricky to define!)

Ways Forward

Data minimisation as standard - known purposes only

Ways Forward

Agreement on and implementation of responsible data practices [read more]

Ways Forward

Education and awareness raising among communities affected + development practitionerseg. School of Data

Questions?

mail@zararah.net @zararah