The World Bank Data Access: The World Bank Experience 1/, and Economic Incentives for Enhancing Data Access in the Arab Region 2/ Doha, Qatar - December.

The World Bank

Data Access:The World Bank Experience1/, and

Economic Incentives for Enhancing Data Access in the Arab Region2/

Doha, Qatar - December 7, 2010

Ingrid IvinsStatistician, Statistical Development and Partnership TeamRegional Coordinator for MNA Statistical Capacity Projects

<[email protected]>

1/ First part of presentation drawn from more detailed World Bank ppt, available upon request.2/ Second part of presentation based on forthcoming background note by Angel-Urdinola, Ivins, and Hilger, 2011.

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The World Bank

Table of Contents

1. The World Bank Experience: Open Data, Open Knowledge, and Open Solutions

a. A Bit of Historyb. Current Features of Open Data

2. Application to MNA Countries – Potential Gains and Risks from Providing Access to Microdata

a. Statistical Capacityb. Data Access Issuesc. Example of Regional Coordinationd. Options for Better Data Access

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; a) A Bit of History

• 2008: Development of World Bank API for developers to build applications using an assortment of World Bank data

• 2009: Next step was partnership with Google and launch of Bank’s “DataFinder”

• 04/10: Phase 1 of Open Data Initiative• 10/10: Official launch of Open Data Initiative • 2011 onwards: Unlimited possibilities!

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; a) A Bit of History

• Official Open Data Press Release took place on October 5, 2010

• Part of larger release of World Bank documents, tools, and technology applications, and commitment to “Open Development”

“We are working to make data analysis and modeling tools more user-friendly, so that researchers, civil

society, and local communities can come up with their own findings –

and double-check ours.”

- World Bank President Robert Zoellick

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; a) A Bit of History

• Open Data Initiative - how to reach the potential users?• The press release, and many of the data and related tools are

available in several languages.

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; b) Current Features

• New website in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, with over 2,000 WDI/GDF indicators freely available

• Data Catalog to provide access to all World Bank datasets

• Best practice Terms of Use that allows commercial use and re-use

• Multiple access options with full downloads, Application Programming Interface (API) for developers, Data Tools, etc

Open Data

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; b) Current Features

http://data.worldbank.org

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; b) Current Features

By Country» View profiles for over 200 economies

By Topic» See key indicators for a variety of topics

Indicators» View and download data for over 2,000 indicators in four

languagesWorld dataBank <http://data.worldbank.org>

» “Slice and dice” the dataData Catalog

» Lists all of the open data sources of the World Bank

Open Data

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; b) Current Features

Open Tools

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; b) Current Features

DataFinder 2.0: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad

Open Tools

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; b) Current Features

Chart an indicator

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; b) Current Features

“Mash-ups” – Mapping Indicators + Geocoding Projects

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; b) Current Features

Data Visualizer – see changes of data over time

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The World Bank

1. The World Bank Experience; b) Current Features

Keep site dynamic – innovative competitions

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; a) Statistical Capacity

WB: Statistical Capacity Index Available for Developing Countries

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; a) Statistical Capacity

WB: Statistical Capacity Index 2009, Middle Income Countries

Vie

tnam

Jord

an

Tun

isia

Bra

zil

Sou

th A

fric

a

Tur

key

Indi

a

Rus

sia

Per

u

Mal

aysi

a

Arg

entin

a

Indo

nesi

a

Pak

ista

n

Egy

pt

Tha

iland

Pol

and

Phi

lippi

nes

Col

ombi

a

Chi

le

Rom

ania

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

6164

71

77 78 79 79 80 81 82 82 82 82 83 8386 86 86

88

93

World Bank Statistical Capacity Index, 2009

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; a) Statistical Capacity

IMF: Special & General Data Dissemination Standards

SDDS MNA Subscription Countries   

CountrySDDS Specifications

Met   Tunisia 06/20/2001Egypt 01/31/2005Morocco 12/15/2005Jordan 01/28/2010

GDDS MNA Participating Countries   

CountryMetadata Posted on

DSBB   Kuwait 05/22/2000Yemen 04/26/2001Oman 06/17/2002Lebanon 01/16/2003Qatar 12/30/2005West Bank/Gaza 03/13/2006Syria 12/12/2007Saudi Arabia 03/04/2008UAE 07/31/2008Bahrain 08/29/2008Algeria 04/21/2009Libya 12/07/2009Iraq 12/15/2009

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; b) Data Access - Issues

Data Access versus Confidentiality

ACCESS CONFIDENTIALITY

• Informed policy design (Impact Assessment for reform)Need to know how many people are in target group, their characteristics

• Increase TransparencyLeads to higher credibility

• Verify results from other researchersFosters an open research community, sheds light on questions not in mind when gathering data

•Promote new research w/o requiring new data collection Increases the value of data already collected

• Keeping confidentiality is important in several perspectives

Ethical, legal (agencies are required to strive for a favorable balance for risks and harms for survey respondents)

Important for willingness of participants to share confidential information

Pragmatic point of view

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; b) Data Access - Issues

Striking a Balance Between Access, Confidentiality & Data Quality

Methodologies are available to minimize risks, such as:

• Setting threshold risk (i.e. to individual record, or to entire file).

• Removal of: Unique/rare sample data, estimating individual risk, etc to calculate the expected number of re-identifications and the re-identification rate to maximum threshold (except for Business Surveys).

• Global re-coding to reduce identification effect.

• Goal is a balance between the conflicting objectives of reducing the disclosure risk, and minimizing information loss.

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; b) Data Access - Size of the Economy

MNA Region has level of publications below level of economic development

Graph Source: “U.S. and Them: The Geography of Academic Research”, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 5152, December 2009.

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; b) Data Access – Policy Making

Higher Statistical Capacity May Be Associated with Better Governance Effectiveness & Rule of Law

ALB

DZA

ARG

ARM

BLR

BIH

BRA

BGR CHL

COL

CRI

HRV

ECUSLV

GEO

GTM

HTI

HND

IDN

JOR

KAZ

LAO

LVA

LBN

LBY

LTU

MKDMEX

MDA

MAR

PAN

PRY

PER

PHL POL

ROM

RUS

TJK

THA

TUN

TUR

UKR

URY

UZB VNM

4060

8010

0R

ule

of L

aw-2 -1 0 1

Statistical Capacity Index

statcap Fitted values

ALB

DZA

ARG

ARM

BLR

BIH

BRA

BGR CHL

COL

CRI

HRV

ECUSLV

GEO

GTM

HTI

HND

IDN

JOR

KAZ

LAO

LVA

LBN

LBY

LTU

MKDMEX

MDA

MAR

PAN

PRY

PER

PHL POL

ROM

RUS

TJK

THA

TUN

TUR

UKR

URY

UZB VNM

4060

8010

0G

over

nanc

e E

ffect

iven

ess

-2 -1 0 1Statistical Capacity Index

statcap Fitted values

Governance Effectiveness Rule of Law

Data Sources: WB Statistical Capacity Bulletin Board, and WB Governance Indicators. 21

The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; b) Data Access - Foreign Direct Investment

Higher level of data availability may have link with FDI

Data Sources: WB Statistical Capacity Bulletin Board, and World Development Indicators.

50 55 60 65 70 75 800

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Sub-Saharan Africa

Europe & Central Asia

Laticn America & Caribbean

Middle East & North Africa

2007 Regional FDI per Capita vs Statistical Capacity Index

Statistical Capacity Index

FDI per

capit

a (

$)

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; c) Example of Regional Coordination

Regional Coordination as a Means to Enhancing Data Access

The MECOVI Program in Latin America

• Household survey data access in Latin America was very limited in the early 1990s.

• High data production but little data access or analysis.

• Little regional comparability of data.

• Little interaction between statistical offices in the region.

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; c) Example of Regional Coordination

Regional Coordination as a Means to Enhancing Data Access

The MECOVI Program in Latin America

• The Program lasted 8 years (1996-2003).

• Partnership between the World Bank, The Inter-American Development Bank, and ECLAC.

• The program started in Paraguay but expanded quickly to Argentina, Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic.

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; c) Example of Regional Coordination

Regional Coordination as a Means to Enhancing Data Access

MECOVI Program Achievements

• Standardization of questionnaires in the region• Several studies and publications• Development of regional GPS• Modernization/standardization of software in the region

(and equipment)• Availability of micro data to the public (public institutions,

academia, NGOs, researchers)• Introduction of “panel” surveys• Credibility of statistical offices grew• No confidentiality issues / no negative experiences reported

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; c) Example of Regional Coordination

SEDLAC – Socioeconomic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean

SEDLAC: A positive extension of the MECOVI program.

1. A regional database of socio-economic statistics computed from household surveys accessible from the Web (SEDLAC).

2. A database of labor statistics computed from labor surveys (LABLAC).

3. Reports, briefs, maps and other material describing the main patterns and trends in poverty, inequality, and other indicators in the region.

4. Research on poverty and other social and labor issues in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; c) Example of Regional Coordination

SEDLAC – Socioeconomic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; c) Example of Regional Coordination

SEDLAC – Socioeconomic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; c) Example of Regional Coordination

SEDLAC – Socioeconomic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; c) Example of Regional Coordination

SEDLAC – Socioeconomic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean

<1010 - 1515 - 2020 - 3030 - 4040 - 5050 - 6060 - 70> 60Sin datos

Poverty headcount(%)

Source: SEDLAC (CEDLAS and The World Bank)

Poverty in Central Americaand The Caribbean

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The World Bank

2. Applications to MNA Countries; d) Options for Better Data Access

Several Options for Better Data Access

Arab Region Countries

• Define a regional (or sub-regional) procedure for data access, including microdata [public and private researchers] (???)

• Share microdata with reliable partners for assessment of National Public / Economic Policies and Plans (???)

• Could Arab Region Countries introduce a regional / sub-regional effort, such as the MECOVI experience (???)

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The World Bank

Thank You For Your Attention

Website links

Open Data Initiative http://data.worldbank.org

IMF Data Standards Website http://dsbb.imf.org

Bulletin Board for Statistical Capacity Building http://bbsc.worldbank.org

MECOVI Program http://go.worldbank.org/ZIFHV0LK00

SEDLAC Program http://sedlac.econo.unlp.edu.ar/eng

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