Make Inclusive Data the Norm (MIDN) is a pioneering South-South collaboration between Colombia, Ghana, and Kenya, aimed at advancing inclusive data systems that reflect the lived realities of all people, especially underrepresented communities. 

The initiative is technically led by the Global Partnership, with funding from APC-Colombia, together with the governments of Colombia, Ghana, and Kenya through their National Statistical Offices. 

MIDN aims to enable the three countries to learn from each other's experiences in advancing inclusive data and creating policies that reflect and improve people's lives. This compendium captures the country journeys, challenges, lessons, innovations, and practical tools developed through the MIDN initiative.

Find out more about what makes data inclusive and why this matters in our Inclusive Data Playbook.

This compendium is for

  • Governments interested in collaborating with other countries to exchange knowledge and resources on advancing inclusive data and making underrepresented groups more visible in policymaking.
  • National Statistical Offices (NSOs) seeking to innovate and introduce new data sources, including data collected by citizens, to better reflect people's realities and needs.
  • Civil society organizations (CSOs) looking to work with NSOs, governments, and communities to create better data, including citizen data, to shape better policies and decisions. 

This resource serves as a record of what Colombia, Ghana, and Kenya achieved through MIDN from 2024-2025, and as a practical guide for countries and practitioners seeking to advance inclusive data practices in their own contexts. 

How MIDN works

Ghana FGM workshop

The power of South-South collaboration

Colombia, Ghana, and Kenya are leaders in data innovation. MIDN enables the countries to leverage their unique strengths, share their insights, and work together to enhance their own inclusive data practices and build the evidence base for what works on creating inclusive data systems. 

Participants at the learning exchange workshop in Nairobi

Sharing expertise, skills, and resources

Between April 2024 and August 2025, each country hosted a learning exchange workshop at key stages in the initiative, where representatives gathered to set out the structure for how they would work together, review progress, and pool their knowledge, expertise, and resources.

Mr. Godwin Odei-Gyebi, Director and Head of Demographic Statistics at GSS, speaking at the national validation workshop in Ghana in April 2025.

Learning from each other's strengths

The MIDN experience shows that South-South collaboration leads to new ideas and is especially helpful for countries that are dealing with similar challenges with inclusive data use and application. Each country’s innovation in specific areas offers practical examples for the other countries to learn from and apply to their own contexts.

Country experiences

Participants at the national workshop for advancing citizen data, hosted by DANE, Colombia, in June 2025. Part of the MIDN initiative.

Colombia: A new Citizen Data Framework

Colombia is focusing on strengthening the use of data collected by citizens to get a clearer picture of people’s lives, particularly underrepresented communities, and inform better policy and practice. This includes the development of a new Citizen Data Framework, and co-creating innovative digital tools for collecting citizen data with communities.

Participants at Ghana's national validation workshop for evaluating the data gaps and advancing inclusive data practices to tackle FGM, in April 2025.

Ghana: Better data to tackle FGM

Ghana is focusing on building more timely and inclusive data on female genital mutilation (FGM) in three remote regions of the country, to inform better policies and interventions. This includes the development of a new mobile app for recording data from citizens on FGM safely and securely.

Participants at the three-day inclusive data workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2025. Part of the MIDN initiative.

Kenya: Inclusive data at the heart of policy

Kenya is focusing on institutionalizing inclusive data within government and civil society organizations (CSOs), so that it is embedded within data strategy and processes, rather than being an afterthought, including developing a new framework for ensuring citizen data quality and beginning plans to establish a new gender statistics unit in the Ministry of Gender. 

What we've learned

Group photo at the Make Inclusive Data the Norm learning exchange in Nairobi

Five key insights from MIDN

Read the biog by Karen Bett on five big lessons from Colombia, Ghana, and Kenya on establishing inclusive data practices through the Make Inclusive Data the Norm initiative.

Participants at Ghana's National Validation Workshop on FGM data

Using the Copenhagen Framework

The Copenhagen Framework on Citizen Data sets out principles and practical guidance to help countries and organizations use citizen data more effectively. Find out how each country has applied the framework in practice through MIDN. 

Ghana national validation workshop on FGM data

Building trust with communities

Building strong relationships with communities takes time and care, particularly when people will be asked to share sensitive information. Embodying the true principles of co-creation is key, helping create a sense of shared ownership and responsibility while ensuring citizen data quality.

A peer exchange workshop in Colombia

Four key elements of inclusive data systems

From building political will to continuous capacity development, four cross-country insights have emerged as foundational elements of making inclusive data the norm, outlining how other countries can replicate these achievements.

Looking ahead and country commitments

Participants at the learning exchange workshop in Nairobi

What's next for MIDN

Colombia, Ghana, and Kenya have made clear commitments to continue their pioneering work in building inclusive data systems, including refining, developing, and scaling the innovative new tools and approaches developed through MIDN. 

Participants at a Make Inclusive Data the Norm workshop

Recommendations for other countries

Making inclusive data the norm isn't about perfecting separate areas, but developing “reinforcing systems" where each dimension strengthens the others. This creates an inclusive data ecosystem.

Resources

Articles and blogs

Stories, insights, and features on the Make Inclusive Data the Norm initiative.

 

News and press releases 

News stories, media releases, and updates from key moments during MIDN.

 

Events and workshops

Events and workshops we co-hosted and participated in as part of MIDN.

 

Training and knowledge materials

Training materials and resources developed as part of the Make Inclusive Data the Norm initiative. 

Initiatives
Contributing Partners