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Data Blog

In line with the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General's Report of the High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation, as well as the Secretary-General's Data Strategy, this blog aims to foster a multi-disciplinary exchange of ideas on the topic of data. In this space, data experts and data champions will share their experiences and perspectives on topics such as data strategy, literacy, policy, governance, open data, privacy, ethics, AI, and more. Through this exchange of ideas, OICT ultimately hopes to contribute to a diverse and inclusive data culture.

Thank you for visiting this space. Questions related to this blog can be sent to unite@un.org.

Recent Blog Posts

The UN Geospatial Strategy

25 May 2021

By Kyoung-Soo Eom, Chief of Geospatial Information Section, Technology Operations Service, Operations Support Division, OICT

Since the establishment of the United Nations, cartography and geospatial information have been an important component of the Organization. In 1948, the Committee of Experts on Cartography sought to answer two questions:

  1. What should the United Nations do to stimulate and assist Member States in the development of the mapping sciences?
  2. What sort of cartographic service did the United Nations need to carry out this program, for its own operations, and in its relations with the specialized agencies?

Data Privacy and Protection Assessments in Radio Mining

12 April 2021

By Stefan Lemm, former Head, Military Operations Unit, OICT

Data Privacy and Protection is one of the key aspects of the Secretary-General’s Data Strategy. It is clear that protecting people from indiscriminate data collection is important because it might result in data misuse, for instance, by businesses. But a potentially more dangerous scenario would be that data collected in good faith ends up in the hands of ill-meaning actors who intend to intimidate or even threaten the victim's personal safety.

How Machine Learning Will Support the Data Strategy

24 February 2021

By Lambert Hogenhout, Chief of Data, Analytics and Innovation, OICT

Collecting data, organizing it, and sharing it is useful. Ultimately, however, the aim is to create business value. We want to turn data into insights that result in productivity gains, better decisions and/or faster response.  

How to Quantify Qualitative Data: A Look at Research on Trust in the UN

29 January 2021

By Martijn Lampert, Research Director, Glocalities  

In this Q&A, Martijn Lampert, Research Director, Glocalities, shares a methodology he and his team used to measure international trust in the UN. He argues that research focusing on the links between values, issues and cultures is key to quantifying qualitative data.  

Assessing Political Performance in Peacekeeping

14 December 2020

By Olabisi Shoaga, Political Affairs Officer, Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training, Department of Peace Operations

Over the past few years, there has been a rise in the use of data, particularly quantitative data, to showcase progress and performance during reporting and briefings on peacekeeping. A good deal of the work done in this regard has been in operational support, military operations, conduct and discipline, gender, rule of law and human rights related areas of work.

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