Countries like The Gambia, Ghana, and Haiti have put mobile phone data to work toward pressing policy challenges that need timely data, such as disaster response, tracking disease, migration, and more. The use of anonymized Mobile Phone Data (MPD) for policy insights can help countries navigate crisis, produce more timely statistics, and enhance the delivery of public services.
The World Bank has launched a multi-partner initiative under the Global Data Facility (GDF) to help low- and middle-income countries integrate MPD into their national data systems. The GDF-MPD program aims to support 20 countries by 2030.
Repurposing anonymized MPD for policy is a growing priority for governments around the globe. However, less than 20 percent of low- and middle-income countries can use sophisticated data in policymaking. Repurposing MPD into policy measurements is challenging, mainstream adoption involves investments in technical capacity, data infrastructure, and safeguards. (For more information, see this recent UN World Data Forum.)
Several multi-stakeholder initiatives, like the UN-CEBD Mobile Phone Task Team and Eurostat MPD projects, are at the forefront of efforts to standardize the use of mobile phone data for official statistics and policy. The GDF-MPD program is partnering and coordinating with these initiatives to promote global adoption of emerging standards, public goods, and good practice through our capacity building activities.
The GDF-MPD Program will deliver essential resources, programmatic support, and knowledge through several rounds of country cohorts. The cohorts will comprise several countries participating in programmatic activities to build local capacity. The cohorts will include cross-cutting activities to promote knowledge sharing between peers that are confronting similar challenges.
Contact us at gdfmpd@worldbank.org if you are:
- interested in donor or technical partnership opportunities,
- a representative from a LMIC National Statistical Office or other government Ministry, Department, or Agency (MDA) that would like to express interest in participating in the program.
GDF-MPD Program Team:
The GDF-MPD window is a multi-partner window funded by the Spanish Government, Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business. The GDF-MPD program is jointly managed by DEC (DECDG, DIME), Poverty and Digital Development Global Practices in technical partnership with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
Trevor Monroe, Senior Operations Officer, DECDG
Sveta Milusheva, Senior Economist, DIME
Maria Eugenia Genoni, Senior Economist, Poverty and Equity
Julia Clark, Senior Economist, Digital Development
Esperanza Magpantay, Senior Statistician, International Telecommunications Union
