Open Data for Development (CA0033)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Canada, Second Action Plan, 2014-2016
Action Plan Cycle: 2014
Status:
Institutions
Lead Institution: International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Support Institution(s): NA
Policy Areas
Access to Information, Capacity Building, Open DataIRM Review
IRM Report: Canada End-of-Term Report 2014-2016, Canada Progress Report 2014-2015
Early Results: Marginal
Design i
Verifiable: Yes
Relevant to OGP Values: Yes
Ambition (see definition): High
Implementation i
Description
The Government of Canada will work together with developing countries to harness the potential of open data to enhance accountability, create new solutions for delivery of
public services, and create new economic opportunities around the world.
IRM End of Term Status Summary
Commitment 4. Open Data for Development
Commitment Text:
The Government of Canada will work together with developing countries to harness the potential of open data to enhance accountability, create new solutions for delivery of public services, and create new economic opportunities around the world.
Open data holds an enormous potential to enhance development efforts around the world. As co-chair for the OGP Open Data Working Group, Canada is committed to strengthening a truly global open data movement and exploring ways to use collaboration and technology to strengthen democracy and build prosperity. As noted in the OGP's Four-Year Strategy (2015-18), national action plans are meant to provide an organizing framework for international networking. The OGP is in many ways a global platform for connecting, empowering, and supporting open government reform across member countries.
In recent years, Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has supported initiatives in developing countries to better use open data for development, establishing a global network of partners around the Open Data for Development (OD4D) initiative. The OD4D initiative aims to support the global and regional efforts of governments, civil society organizations, and entrepreneurs harnessing open data to achieve development outcomes, and enrich the international sharing of open data solutions and best practices.
Deliverables to be completed in 2014-16:
- Build the capacity of the open data initiatives in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia, and establish important partnerships with the open data movement in Canada:
- Support developing countries to plan and execute national open data initiatives;
- Develop international data standards and solution-driven networks that can help to bring about social and economic innovation; and
- Measure and evaluate the relationship between open data initiatives and socioeconomic development, informing the quality and reach of future open data initiatives.
- Host an International Open Data Conference in 2015 to bring together experts from around the world to share knowledge and experience to strengthen international collaboration on open government issues.
Responsible institution: International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Supporting institution(s): None
Start date: November 2014 End date: 30 June 2016
Commitment Aim:
This commitment aims to support global and regional efforts of governments, civil society organizations, and entrepreneurs harnessing open data to achieve development outcomes and to support the international sharing of best practices and solutions related to open data. Specifically, the commitment is focused on supporting open data initiatives in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. As a means of bringing people together, the commitment includes hosting the 2015 International Open Data Conference. This commitment builds on existing open data work of Canada’s International Development Research Centre and expands that effort’s geographical scope.
STATUS
Mid-term: Substantial
At the mid-term review of the national action plan, the International Open Data Conference had been held: it included over 200 speakers and over 1,000 attendees. Open data for development networks were established in Latin America and the Caribbean; planning workshops had taken place to establish similar networks in Asia and Africa.
End of term: Complete
The Open Data for Development Network (OD4D) expanded during the second action plan. Open Data For Development, http://od4d.net Open data hubs are currently in operation in in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caribbean. These include the Latin American Open Data Initiative, Iniciativa Latinoamericana por los Datos Abiertos, http://idatosabiertos.org Open Data in East Europe and Central Asia, Open Data in Europe and Central Asia, http://www.odecanet.org Caribbean Open Institute, The Caribbean Open Institute, http://www.caribbeanopeninstitute.org and Open Data Lab Jakarta. Open Data for Development, http://od4d.net The OD4D Network “organizes work through the guidance of a Donors Committee and the consultation of a group of dedicated implementing partners who are experts in Open Data issues around the world” Canada’s Third Biennial Plan to the Open Government Partnership 2016 – 2018, http://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2001/01/Canada_AP3.pdf and is hosted through the institution responsible for this commitment. That group, the IDRC, also funds the network along with the Government of Canada, the World Bank, and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development.
While the government did note that plans for an African Open Data Hub were slowed due to limited partner capacity, a hub was scheduled to be launched later in 2016 and technical support has been provided in African countries, including Burkina Faso and Tanzania. Such support has also been provided in Peru and Jamaica.
In addition to the regional initiatives, OD4D has also engaged in activities supporting the development of international data standards, as well as the measurement and evaluation of open data initiatives. These include supporting the launch of the third edition of the Open Data Barometer Open Data Barometer, http://opendatabarometer.org/barometer/ and development of the Open Data Impact Map. The Centre for Open Data Enterprise, http://www.opendataenterprise.org/map.html
Did it open government?
Access to information: Marginal
The fulfillment of this particular commitment does provide a range of support and infrastructure that could be used to enhance openness in the regions in question. It also highlights Canada’s adherence to the Open Government Declaration, which specifically references international engagement and support of global open governance. Open Government Declaration, http://www.opengovpartnership.org/about/open-government-declaration
Given the importance of OD4D, the coding for the ‘did it open government’ variable necessitates detailed explanation. The coding and analysis in this end of term report focuses explicitly on the extent to which openness is enhanced within Canada. Under this narrow lens, the commitment has had perhaps open government marginally. It is recognized that this assessment is likely to differ within the countries and regions where OD4D activities are being carried out. Studies have indicated that OD4D can enhance knowledge of open data, best practices, engagement, and peer learning, among other things. Exploring the Emerging Impacts of Open Data in Developing Countries, http://webfoundation.org/docs/2016/07/ODDC1-Followup-Evaluation-Final-Version.pdf This would suggest that the activities supported by this particular commitment may have ‘opened government’ to a greater extent in the regions supported by the commitment than in Canada. Assessment of these regions is outside of the scope of this particular report, and the narrow focus of this report makes it difficult to fully capture the importance of the contribution made by this commitment. According to government officials, an independent evaluation of OD4D is scheduled to be completed in May 2017.
Carried forward?
While this commitment was not carried forward in the same form as it was in the second action plan, elements of it are reflected in the third action plan. Commitment 18, ‘Support Openness and Transparency Initiatives around the World,’ is co-led by IDRC and seeks to:
• Provide training and peer-learning to at least 500 open data leaders in government and civil society in developing countries.
• Provide technical assistance to at least 10 developing countries, increasing the quality and ambition of their open data policies.
• Assess how capacity-building activities affect communities.
• Work with international organizations and partners in developing countries to implement innovative open data projects with impact on anti-corruption, local governance, health, and education. Canada’s Third Biennial Plan to the Open Government Partnership 2016 – 2018, http://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2001/01/Canada_AP3.pdf