Unlike strategies focused on interagency cooperation, this proposal concentrates exclusively on strengthening UNDP’s internal data management capacities. It recognizes that an effective data strategy is essential to support key institutional processes, from policy design to results evaluation. Additionally, it integrates lessons from previous digital and IT strategies, not to replace them, but to consolidate a transversal approach based on three fundamental pillars: governance, people, and technology.

The governance pillar establishes principles, structures, and standards to ensure that data is managed with integrity, security, and responsibility. This includes defining clear roles, implementing quality control processes, establishing traceability mechanisms, and adhering to ethical compliance frameworks, including principles for personal data protection. It also promotes system interoperability, open-by-default access, and the responsible use of information as a public good.

The people component recognizes that human talent is at the heart of digital transformation. It calls for the development of specific technical capacities in analytics, data science, visualization, and artificial intelligence, as well as fostering an institutional culture that values evidence-based learning and cross-functional collaboration. This pillar also emphasizes the importance of enabling leadership and agile-minded teams capable of adapting to changing contexts.

Finally, the technology pillar seeks to consolidate modern, secure, and scalable digital infrastructures that facilitate large-scale data storage, processing, analysis, and visualization. The strategy proposes the progressive integration of advanced tools, the use of interoperable platforms, and investment in emerging technologies to accelerate innovation for development.

Although this strategy does not address knowledge management aspects such as document administration or systematization of learnings, it lays the groundwork for the future integration of these elements into a broader policy. In its current form, it represents a firm step toward institutionalizing a data culture within UNDP, focused on results, accountability, and transformation.

Ultimately, the UNDP Data Strategy positions the organization on a path toward intelligent information management, aimed at strengthening institutions, promoting transparency, and enhancing effectiveness in fulfilling its mandate to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

This article was originally published in: https://www.sparkblue.org/cops