[open-development] From OKF Blog - An open goal that can’t be missed: 2015 and open data

[Tim Davies]

This post from the OKF Blog might be of interest to this network. There has
been some discussion of whether we could collaborate with other working
groups to get a focus on open knowledge and the post-2015 development
consultations; particularly the development of indicators to drive a focus
on access to information and open data....

Tim


--

*STOP PRESS: UN holds consultation.*

Okay, so this may not be the most groundbreaking of introductions. It’s up
there with such bombshells as “man catches bus” and “comedian tells joke”
with but stick with me … it’s important.

Today marks the first day of the UN’s post-2015 consultation on
governance<http://www.worldwewant2015.org/governance>,
jointly hosted by South Africa and Germany. For the uninitiated,
“post-2015” is the lingo that the UN has given to the process of deciding
what comes after the Millennium Development Goals which expire at the end
of 2015.

[image: africa computer]

As you may recall, in amongst the commotion of the millennium bug the turn
of the century was accompanied by two significant actions by the UN. The
first was the publication of ‘The Millennium
Declaration<http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.htm>’
which outlines the principles of cooperation for the twenty-first century
and, incidentally, is probably one of the finest documents to emerge from
UN headquarters on First Avenue at 46th Street, New York. The second was,
at the time, the slightly less fanfared Millennium Development
Goals<http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/> (MDGs)
which set targets for developing countries in areas such as halving
absolute poverty, providing greater access to education and reducing child
mortality.

What we’ve learnt over the decade since the millenium is that what get
measured counts. Wonderful prose and narrative on the importance of
governance and human rights are to be applauded (and we should drive for
more commitments), but when it comes to investing money governments have
tended to focus on more measurable gains. The upshot of all this means that
the MDGs, and the targets and indicators that they represent, have become
the currency of twenty-first century development.

This brings me back to the UN post-2015 consultation on governance. If the
lessons are to be learnt this time round it is essential that the values
and principles of accountability, transparency and participation are
translated into measurable goals, targets and indicators that are included
as part of the goal framework – not as the side note. Without an explicit
push to improve the quality, timeliness and availability of information any
efforts to establish a transformational post-2015 agenda will only ever be
directed at an incomplete, and potentially inaccurate, picture.

At Development Initiatives <http://www.devinit.org/> we have been working
on proposals for a goal on access to
information<http://www.devinit.org/wp-content/uploads/Turning-information-into-action-A-post-2015-agenda-for-ending-poverty-Jan-2013.pdf>
as
well as proposals on open
development<https://s3.amazonaws.com/one.org/images/ONE_HLP_Report_-_FINAL.pdf>
with
others. But alone we don’t have the all the answers or the influence to
make this happen. What is needed is for other members of the open data
community to be alert to the post-2015 process and how we can collectively
use this forum to advance the cause for open and better quality data. In
short, we need your help to make sure the UN understand that this is an
open goal that can’t be missed.

If you’d like to find out more about the post-2015 process then please
contact andrew.palmer at devinit.org<http://blog.okfn.org/2013/02/28/an-open-goal-that-cant-be-missed-2015-and-open-data/andrew.palmer@devinit.org>
- See more at:
http://blog.okfn.org/2013/02/28/an-open-goal-that-cant-be-missed-2015-and-open-data/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+okfn+%28Open+Knowledge+Foundation+Weblog%29#sthash.w9lXw0VO.dpuf
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