The Global Digital Compact has paved the way for the establishment of a CSTD-led multistakeholder working group on data governance which is expected to table its recommendations at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly discussion on the contours of an international framework for data governance that can support inclusive and equitable digital economies.
Against this backdrop, IT for Change, in partnership with the Center for Global Digital Justice (CGDJ), along with Third World Network and Global Policy Forum, seeks to build a sector-specific, contextually grounded pro-South vision of data justice principles through a 10-month project. Under this project, we will work with progressive civil society organizations and people's movements that are already exploring the impacts of digitalization and datafication in domains such as public health, biodiversity, food sovereignty, climate change mitigation and adaptation, trade justice, etc.
In each of these domains, we will work with partner organizations such as Open Knowledge Foundation, Third World Network, FIAN International, Peoples' Health Movement, and ETC Group. We seek to identify concrete case studies of economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR) violations and socio-economic injustices stemming from corporate impunity, lack of respect for domestic law, and exploitation of loopholes in international and national regimes, including, but not limited to trade, IP, data governance, etc.
Together, we hope to build forward-looking visions of sector-specific data governance principles with grounded interpretations of autonomy, equity, and justice and potential models of data stewardship by convening virtual roundtables/ dialogues with civil society representatives and people's organisations engaged in the domain. A major objective of this project is to jointly seize advocacy opportunities (CSTD working group on data governance – immediate horizon) and beyond (particularly looking at the intersections of data justice and Agenda 2030) and map sector-specific advocacy opportunities as well.