The Open Data for Development (OD4D) project supports a global network of leading organizations that are creating locally-driven and sustainable open data ecosystems in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and East Europe. This network builds knowledge and provides support to governments and policy-makers in key issues such as policies, standards, innovation and skills development.

The OD4D program is hosted by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and and it is co-funded with the World Bank, United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

OD4D focuses on building up the supply of quality open data, and also on improving the use of that data by leaders in government, civil society, the media, and business so that it furthers public interest and improves people’s lives. The organisations that are part of the network are supporting the production and dissemination of the Open Data Barometer in their respective regions.

Africa Open Data Network

In the past four years, the Open Data for Developing Countries (ODDC), the Open Data Barometer (ODB) and the Open Data for Development (OD4D) projects have contributed to the emergence of a growing open data community in Africa. This diverse group of government champions, researchers, journalists and activists are mobilizing for open data to become the norm in Africa.

The main objectives of the Africa Open Data Network will be to:

• Increase the awareness of the value of open data for driving development in Africa by promoting and supporting related initiatives, events and convenings;
• Support and scale activities among users of open data in Africa by strengthening the capacity of entrepreneurs, activists, journalists and researchers;
• Promote the adaptation and contextualization of open data principles, practices through partnerships and networks;
• Connect researchers with practitioners to promote uptake and use of workable approaches to open data.
• Bring together stakeholders in Africa with initiatives in other regions for mutual learning on using open data to spur development.

Open Data Labs Jakarta

The Open Data Lab Jakarta is a research and innovation lab focused on harnessing the potential of open data for social impact. We seek to develop, test and evaluate models, and build evidence for the value of openly available government data to tackle practical challenges faced by developing and emerging economies in the Southeast Asia region.

Established and run by the World Wide Web Foundation, we engage with a wide range of partners in the region to build a solid research, innovation and advocacy platform and test our ideas on the ground.

Focusing on the local level, we seek to identify concrete challenges in high-impact sectors across the region, and co-create and tailor workable open data models and solutions together with our partners. We recognise the different states of open data in each country – and city, if needed – to ensure that appropriate and sustainable measures are used in each project, ensuring the best results and impact.

Latin American Open Data Initiative

The Latin American Open Data Initiative (ILDA) is conceived as a multi-stakeholder project to foster research, use and appropriateness of open data in Latin America. ILDA carries out three main activities: support the development of open data policies; make aware and train civil servants in open government and open data; and develop of studies and fostering of use and appropriateness of open data by different social actors.

ILDA is a node where governments, international organisations, experts and activists converge for the progression of open data in the region in a responsible, informed and creative way. In specific, ILDA works on the following areas: open data for governmental transparency; open cities and open data; innovation in health and education; natural resources; and dialogues about open data public policy in Latin America.

Caribbean Open Institute

The Caribbean Open Institute (COI) is a regional coalition of individuals and organizations that promotes open development approaches to inclusion, participation and innovation within the Caribbean, using open data as a catalyst. COI is an active participant in the broad open data community, bringing the Caribbean’s nuanced voice to contribute to the global discourse and partnerships for sustainable development using Data as a catalyst. The Institute conducts the following primary activities:

• Awareness, advocacy and engagement with public sector stakeholders on Open Government and Open Data.
• Regional capacity building in a core set of technology platforms, tools and standards that are being commonly used across the Open Data universe.
• Demand-side research initiatives, exploring and building evidence of the potential impacts of Open Data initiatives in various thematic sectors.
• Staging of the annual “Developing the Caribbean” Open Data Conference and Codesprint (DevCA) as an important regional forum for awareness, engagement and experimentation on Open Data initiatives.

ODECA

Open Data in Europe and Central Asia (ODECA) is a platform to support government representatives, civil society activists, tech activists and citizens that care about and work with open data.

The network covers 18 countries in the region and aims to stimulate innovation, knowledge sharing and learning among practitioners and aficionados of open data regionally and globally.Our goal is to use the potential of open data to transform societies by empowering citizens and supporting governments to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. While we are still exploring all the ways that data will contribute to the SDGs, it is undeniable that it will play an important role in reaching and measuring them. The network brings in the knowledge and experience of global and regional leaders in open data.