This week, on the Open
Knowledge Foundation blog, John Wilbanks considered the importance
of opening up data relative to the other challenges of dealing with an unprecedented
deluge of information. On the Guardian’s Data
Blog, the Open Knowledge Foundation’s Jonathan Gray
writes about the limitations of data, reminding
us that the mere availability of data is not world-changing—for data to be
useful, real human beings are needed to analyze and interpret the numbers, and
then to act. The World Banks’ Budget
Transparency Initiative is attempting to make budget data not only more open, but
also more understandable, with opportunities for
citizen feedback. Global Pulse released
a white
paper that looks at the implications of big
data for the international development field,
laying out the opportunities and challenges.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey Sachs continues
to make bold
claims about aid
effectiveness, while others argue for a more nuanced message,
pointing to a number
of reasons for improvements in health outcomes in Africa.
Iran is the only donor stepping forward to build
a damn in Lebanon. Local stakeholders are
asking tough questions about
whether Iran's motives are developmental or political in nature.
Taryn Davis is a Communications Intern at Development Gateway.
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