Data Governance & International Organizations

Data collection, processing and analysis is becoming increasingly important for international organizations. The UN has recognized the ‘data revolution’ as an enabler of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Innovation hubs have been set up at various UN agencies with the aim of fostering technology-driven innovation, including via data mining and real-time data collection. Accompanying the immense importance of data for international organizations working in the field of development and humanitarian assistance are legitimate concerns regarding risks associated with collection, storage, processing and sharing of data, particularly in light of a fragmented regulatory landscape. 

The aim of the project is to identify structures and incentives for governance of data in international organizations, whist highlighting challenges and opportunities presented by data-driven development and humanitarian interventions. In the first track, the project will examine data practices of international organizations with the aim of proposing data governance architectures and compliance processes suitable for international organizations engaged in development and humanitarian work. The project will also explore the creation of software solutions to automate compliance functions associated with data governance. In the second track, the projects will study the implications of data-driven and automated interventions on the norm-creation and knowledge-generation power of international organizations.

Project contact: Angelina Fisher