The Potential and Practice of Data Collaboratives for Migration

Abstract

Migration—including but not limited to forced migration—is one of the greatest concerns of the twenty-first century, and is only likely to grow in importance over the coming years. Yet our understanding of the current situation, the causes, and consequences of population movements and what solutions work remain limited. In this piece, we argue that this lack of understanding is part of shortcoming that could, at least in part, be addressed through the targeted analysis of datasets dispersed across stakeholders in governments, the private sector, and civil society. Data collaboratives, an emerging form of public–private partnership that allows for collaboration across sectors and actors, have the potential to break down data siloes to the end of improving our understanding of the drivers of migration and facilitating better decision-making by those active in the space. By taking three recommended steps—mapping and documenting data collaboratives, identifying and nurturing “data stewards,” and developing data responsibility frameworks—actors in the migration field could unlock the value of data held across sectors and improve the lives of migrants, refugees and those affected by the movement of populations across borders.