World Development Report: Data for Better Lives was released on March 24, 2021. It examines tremendous potential and risks of changing data landscape for people living in lower income countries.
Recommendations of report
World Development Report: Data for Better Lives provides five recommendations over development:
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New Social Contract for Data: Global South experts recommends that different stakeholders like civil society and academia, are key to help in improving transparency and contribute towards development.
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Increase Data use to Realize Value: The experts also flagged gaps in understanding data and its governance in developing contexts. So, they recommend that efforts should be made to improve data literacy and expand access for all specially, the vulnerable groups.
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Equitable access: The experts raised concerns on how public and private systems for data do not capture poor people or vulnerable groups. So, it recommends, marginalized people need a better representation across data systems.
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Protect people from data misuse: Experts further recommends on issues related to governance arrangements and systems using which data flow so as to ensure that they are safe, ethical and secure.
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Integrated national data systems. Experts further highlight difficulties for countries which are suffering from poverty, fragility and poor governance in designing high-quality data systems. So, they recommend for increased investments in physical and human capital to have integrated national data systems.
The report further proposes several ways in which data can be used more effectively so as to improve development outcomes through program design, better public policies and service delivery to improved market efficiency and private sector growth led job creation.
World Development Report
It is a flagship publication from World Bank published since 1978. The report is considered as an invaluable guide for economic, social, and environmental state of world.