Analysis Examines Availability and Use of Data for Development

In order to plan and develop sound policies, of the power of data to support high-quality that in many developing countries, including evaluate programs, and lead development programs and policies. To date most data are all four assessed in this study, a move is being activities, government officials need adequate collected and turned over to international enti- made to decentralize strategic planning and data, particularly demographic data. “Data for ties. One official commented, “When it comes budgeting, allowing local-level agencies to take development can be likened to money in an to our politicians, they need to look at a map on these functions. This decentralization means economy or blood in the system of a human that data must be available for planning and being,” explained one respondent to a recent budget execution at those local levels. Many Population Council study on demand for access data sets (such as the Demographic and Health to and use of data. Increasingly, such data are “Data for development Surveys) are available at the national and being gathered in the developing world, but sometimes regional levels, but rarely at the dis- are they reaching the people—government can be likened to trict or lower levels. The census is the one data officials, policymakers, and others—who need set that provides crucial data for smaller areas, them most? Do those people understand how money in an economy but access to the census is often challenging. to use the data to their fullest potential? With Council researchers found an understandable funding from the William and Flora Hewlett or blood in the system lack of local capacity for analyzing, under- Foundation, Population Council researchers standing, or even accessing such data. Access to explored these and other questions in four of a human being.” information means that the data have to exist, African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, that they have to be easily obtained, and that and Uganda. Researchers interviewed people there be a reasonable expectation that someone who work in government agencies, civil society is available with appropriate skills to make use organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and see that in one district there are about 20 of the data. and the media, among others. primary schools constructed by the government and in another district there is only one, Impediments to demand Determinants of demand so there is justification to allocate funds to the district that has been marginalized.” “A number of factors seem to have discouraged Global initiatives, such as the UN’s Millen- Of course, data are not the only factor researchers from releasing routine reports and nium Development Goals, have intensified the driving policies. Nevertheless, having current distributing micro-data,” says Wendy Baldwin, pressure on developing countries to quantify and appropriate information can help guide director of the Council’s Poverty, Gender, and progress. Additionally, international donors the development of policies and enable others Youth Program. “Some fear that the data will have increasingly requested evidence that their to assess the implementation of those policies. be misused. Others cite a culture of secrecy and investments result in positive outcomes. Coun- As one government official noted, “The central a need to maintain confidentiality.” To address tries may lose funding if they are not able to government has been publishing amounts these concerns, researchers often limit access produce the appropriate data. But this external of funds released, but this is not enough. For to their data. demand for data will not increase evidence- example, if the funds are for roads, the infor- Moreover, in some instances, data are based practice in countries if there is no local mation should indicate which roads—not just available, but potential users are unaware of ownership of the process. The demand has to a lump sum for roads.” The challenges to mak- come from within, fueled by an understanding ing data available are exacerbated by the fact continued on page 6

Population Briefs is a research newsletter of the Population Council. The Population Council conducts biomedical, social science, and public health research and develops reproductive health products. The Council works in three programmatic areas: HIV and AIDS; poverty, gender, and youth; and reproductive health. Population Council, One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, New York, New York 10017 www.popcouncil.org Writer/Editor: Gina Duclayan Editorial Board: Lisa Cowen, Judith A. Diers, James R. Foreit, Sarah Littleﬁeld, Melissa May, and Katie D. Schenk Production Manager: Y. Christina Tse Production Artist: Sura Rosenthal Copyeditor: Robert Heidel Editorial Assistant and Circulation: Debra Warn Cover photo by Population Council 2008. Population Briefs is distributed without charge. Information in this newsletter may be reproduced without permission, provided it is distributed without charge and the source is acknowledged. To receive e-mail when a new issue of Population Briefs is posted to the Population Council Web site, register at www.popcouncil.org/signup ISSN 1084–6786 © 2009 The Population Council, Inc. Printed on recycled paper.

Briefs 15-2.indd 3 10/9/09 10:00:32 AM continued from back cover

their existence or their potential. One respon- Conclusions and recommendations graphic data for development in sub-Saharan Africa,” Poverty, Gender, and Youth Working Paper No. 13. dent explained, “Outsiders get data because “Is there one ideal way to share data that will New York: Population Council. Abstract: http://www. they look for it; as a people we are not in the popcouncil.org/publications/wp/pgy/013.html. PDF: lead to increased use and eventually greater habit of finding and using data.” In other cas- http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/wp/pgy/013.pdf. demand for data?” asks Baldwin. “The answer, Baldwin, Wendy and Judith Diers. 2009. “Demo- es, the available data are of uneven quality or in short, is no.” The researchers involved in graphic Data for Development: Overview report.” New York: Population Council. http://www.popcouncil. these studies conclude that a multifaceted org/pdfs/PGY_DDD_Overview.pdf. A good place to start is approach is needed, but a good place to start Kibombo, Richard, Wendy Baldwin, and Sarah Enge- is creatively mining the data that are already bretsen. 2009. “Demographic Data for Development: Uganda,” final report. New York: Population Council. available. “This would also likely motivate the http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/PGY_DDD_Uganda. creatively mining the groups who would lobby for more and better pdf. data and greater access to it,” said Judith A. Maruru, Rose, Wendy Baldwin, and Sarah Engebret- sen. 2009. “Demographic Data for Development: data that are already Diers, a Council researcher. “A virtuous circle Senegal,” final report. New York: Population Council. has to begin somewhere.” ■ http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/PGY_DDD_Senegal. available. pdf. Mekonnen, Yared, Wendy Baldwin, and Sarah Enge- SOURCES bretsen. 2009. “Demographic Data for Development: Awusabo-Asare, Kofi, Wendy Baldwin, and Sarah Ethiopia,” final report. New York: Population Council. Engebretsen. 2009. “Demographic Data for Develop- http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/PGY_DDD_Ethiopia. out-of-date. One government official reported, ment: Ghana,” final report. New York: Population pdf. Council. http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/PGY_DDD_ “Timeliness is a serious problem…by the time Ghana.pdf. OUTSIDE FUNDING data are collected, analyzed, and the findings Baldwin, Wendy and Judith Diers. 2009. “Demo- William and Flora Hewlett Foundation released, the context may have changed and the data become less useful.” Miss an issue of Population Briefs? Back issues are available In many cases, the data—particularly local-level data—simply do not exist. Where free of charge while supplies last. they are lacking, or where resources are not All issues of Population Briefs are available on the Population Council’s Web site: available to mine them, the fallback position www.popcouncil.org/publications/popbriefs/default.htm may be to use no data at all in planning. If central governments lack useful local-level data, they may shrink the budgets of lower- In previous issues: level governments without taking into account Program Shown to Significantly Delay Partner-Delivered Therapy Viable in the real needs at these levels. Child Marriage (July 2009) Resource-Poor Areas (September 2006) One reason for the lack of available Reducing FGM/C Among Somali Girls in Ishraq Expands Horizons for Girls in Rural data is a corresponding lack of human and Kenya (December 2008) Upper Egypt (June 2006) technical resources. Respondents repeatedly mentioned insufficient skills among people IUDs: A Beneficial, Underused Ethical Implications of Working with involved in data collection and management. Contraceptive Technology (August 2008) Children (January 2006) Furthermore, technical difficulties are wide- Council Works to Reduce Unsafe Abortion Low Chemical Exposure May Speed Male spread. Surveys are often left in paper form in Mexico (December 2007) Puberty (September 2005) and are susceptible to damage. Even in areas with computer access, frequent power outages Innovative Program Dramatically Lowers Emergency Contraception’s Mode of Action and inadequate equipment restrict online Child Mortality in Ghana (October 2007) Clarified (May 2005) resources. Complex Role for Marriage in HIV Risk, Unsafe Behaviors Most Common Among Finally, the knowledge and experience Studies Find (May 2007) Poor Women (January 2005) gap between those who collect information and those who would use it is wide. Lacking For a cumulative index: www.popcouncil.org/publications/popbriefs/pbindex.html training in analysis, policymakers need to have data translated for them into more com- For more information: Debra Warn, Office of Publications prehensible formats, such as tables or maps. telephone: 212-339-0514 Similarly, journalists prefer lay language to fax: 212-755-6052 statistical language. e-mail: [email protected]

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