For Festival de Datos 2023 attendee, Marisa Miodosky, a gender data and gender equality policy specialist based in Buenos Aires, the festival brought opportunities for fruitful collaboration, demonstrating the transformative power of bringing diverse data-driven practitioners together.
As the world becomes increasingly reliant on data to drive decision-making and progress, the demand for data professionals to collaborate and share knowledge has never been more critical. I am a passionate advocate for data and strongly believe that data can be a powerful tool for good and to achieve justice, if used effectively. During the Festival de Datos I was able to connect with like-minded individuals who are using data to transform the world, and share my experience with Equal Measures 2030 using data for activism in support of gender equality.
The process of securing a speaking slot or presentation for major conferences can be challenging, more so when your session proposal is merged with others. However, in the case of Festival de Datos, this ultimately led to the creation of valuable new connections with colleagues from Latin America. Together we were able to engage with representatives from statistics offices as well as gender data advocates and debate the legitimacy and limitations of data for this cause. When it comes to gender data and analysis proper measurement is difficult and expensive, meaning collaboration is essential to ensure no one is left behind. Connecting through events such as this is key for fostering collaboration opportunities.
The ripple effect of knowledge-sharing
What made this event different from many others was the sessions focused on skill sharing and capacity building, including hands-on training, empowering attendees with new tools and knowledge they could immediately apply to their work to tackle data-related challenges more effectively. After participating in one of these sessions, on the use of CRVS data in advocacy and public health media engagement, I was inspired to apply my new skills and submit a proposal to the fifth UN World Data Forum for a session showcasing how to use Tableau for data analysis on gender equality problems. The proposal was accepted, and in November I hope to attend the event in Medellin to share the experience of the Salesforce -Equal Measures 2030 Data Fellowship.
Attending the Festival de Datos also brought new professional connections and opportunities that followed me after the festival was over, including being invited to participate in the Salesforce ComuniDatos Global event. At this event, I had the opportunity to use data to challenge the notion that women and men can progress equally in STEM related fields.
Left to right: Eugenia Olliaro, UNICEF; Federico Segui, INE Uruguay; Marisa Miodosky, Equal Measures 2030; and Stefaan Verhulst, The Gov Lab, at Festival de Datos
Sparking new connections and collaborations
Of the many wonderful and impactful connections I made during the festival, one that I did not anticipate came during a peer exchange session on the use of administrative data by National Statistics Offices, with a focus on the Latin American and Caribbean perspectives. The session featured Federico Segui, Deputy Director-General of the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) in Uruguay, as a speaker. Inspired by the insights shared during the session, I sought out Federico later and introduced him to my former manager, current director of the Buenos Aires City Statistics Bureau, María Eugenia Lago. This chance encounter led to the establishment of a cooperation agreement for knowledge exchange in administrative data use between the two institutions; they had their first seminar in August.
I was also excited to be part of a panel discussion organized by the Gov Lab’s Data Stewards Network along with some alumni of the academy. The panel, coordinated by the academy director Stefan Verhulst, was an opportunity to reflect on the role of Equal Measures 2030 as a data steward in the construction of the SDG Gender Index.
Beyond the interesting debates on the stage, it also gave me a chance to meet representatives from DANE, Colombia's National Administrative Department of Statistics, and discuss the work of one of the Data Fellows I was working with. After discussing the challenges we were facing, DANE colleagues were able to help by providing critical access and technical support. This allowed the Data Fellow to uncover new insights and write a compelling data story on the experiences of Venezuelan migrant women in Colombia, shedding light on a crucial issue and amplifying the voices of a marginalized community.
Post-festival benefits
The networking engagements emphasized the irreplaceable opportunities for cross-pollination of ideas and the forging of unexpected alliances through in-person interactions, even as we navigate an increasingly virtual world. Beyond the new connections, meeting in-person during the festival with my EM2030 colleagues and partners from La Ruta Pacífica and Data2X, who I had been working with remotely, helped to deepen bonds and has made collaborating with them afterward even more enjoyable and productive.
Overall, Festival de Datos 2023 was a game-changer for me. Not only did I gain valuable insights and skills, and connect with like-minded individuals from around the world, but the experience was highly valuable and critical for many of my projects. The collaborations and partnerships that emerged from this event have already begun to shape my work and drive positive change in my community.
The success of Festival de Datos 2023 underscores the importance of continued investment in events and initiatives that foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the data community.
At the Global Partnership, we aim to continue building on this momentum and explore new ways to support collaboration among our partners. The long-term impact of the connections and insights gained by our partners continues to shape their work and drive positive change in their respective fields and communities. If you're passionate about using data for impact, we invite you to join our growing community. Attend our future events, engage with our online resources, and collaborate with us to propel the data revolution forward. Together, we can harness the power of data to build a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world for all.