1. Where We Work

Financing Data-Powered Development

From survey information to satellite pixels, data can power development, spur economic growth, and fuel our progress towards a more sustainable future. That is the vision at the heart of the Global Data Facility, an innovative funding instrument that is revolutionizing the way we finance data.

See how the GDF maximize the impact of data investments to improve people’s lives and safeguard our planet:

Learn more about the Global Data Facility >

Featured

Mobile Phone Data Afghanistan poverty targeting
Blog

Mobile phone data for poverty targeting: what we learned from four countries

In a recent paper, the GDF-MPD team uses rich data from four countries — Afghanistan, Côte d'Ivoire, Malawi, and Togo — to systematically explore the potential and limitations of using MPD to estimate economic livelihoods.
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Global Data Facility Annual Report Blog
Blog

The Global Data Facility: turning data into impact

The Global Data Facility has steadily grown into a powerful platform for collaboration, bringing together governments, development partners, and technical experts to deliver on a shared goal: ensuring that data works for people and the planet.
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PIUneer Launch Blog
Blog

MDBs Pioneer a New Profession for Results in a Data-Rich World

The question is no longer what did we finance? It is what changed, and did we know early enough to improve it? This is not just a reporting challenge. It is a delivery challenge. It is why we are coming together to launch of PIUneer.
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GeoWEAF research article Thumbnails
Research Article

A Comparative Assessment of Spatial Factors Influencing Women's Access to High-Skilled Employment in Albania, Bulgaria, and Türkiye

This study applies the Geospatial Women’s Employment Analytical Framework (GeoWEAF) funded by the GDF to assess how place-based factors shape women’s high-skilled employment opportunities in Albania, Bulgaria, and Türkiye.
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International Debt Report 2025
Publication and Blog

JUST IN: The 2025 edition of the International Debt Report

Dive into the International Debt Report (IDR), the World Bank’s flagship annual publication on debt and read the blog: When relief isn’t enough — LMICs face their largest external debt outflows in 50 years here.
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Global Data Facility Biodiversity guidance space2stats blog
Blog

Conservation in the path of development: new data to guide road corridor investments

This Blog explores how biodiversity loss poses a direct threat to human well-being, economic development, and planetary health. Read more and download the full research paper here.
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MULTIMEDIA

Global Data Facility Promo Video Thumbnails
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VIDEO

What is the Global Data Facility?

Watch how the Global Data Facility helps improve people's lives and livelihoods and safeguard our planet.

MULTIMEDIA

The Global Data Facility was launched by Haishan Fu during the 2021 UN World Data Forum.
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Watch the official launch of the Global Data Facility during the 2021 UN Data Forum

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Formal launch of the Global Data Facility at the 2021 UN World Data Forum

Unlocking Data for a Better, Greener, Safer Future (Policy briefing) (PDF)

World Development Report 2021: Data for Better Lives

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