Introducing IATI Decipher – A Breakthrough in Data Usability

We have just launched a new tool that uncovers 22,300 strategic documents and $2.6 trillion of aid and development budgets! If you have ever tried to access the treasure trove of data within the IATI Registry’s organisation file, but been baffled by the xml code, then IATI Decipher is for you. It is easy and quick to use and for the first time you can visualise the strategic and budget documents in the IATI Registry. Read our blog to find out how to install and use IATI Decipher.

Read the blog here

 Accessing Aid Information through the User’s Lens

We have been using our knowledge and experience to understand the barriers to data use, to assess what is and isn’t available, and look into why there isn’t more uptake of aid data by users. Our latest report, US Transparency: An Assessment of US International Aid Transparency Initiative Data, reflects on our user experiences and assesses IATI data for three US agencies. The latest blog from Sally Paxton and James Coe sets out what we learned, and what other donors could learn from taking the user’s perspective.

Read the blog here

Free Webinar: How To Use Open Aid Data 101

_{Do you know what aid and development data is available that could support your work? Do you know how and where to find the details of over one million aid and development activities? If you would like to know more about the data and tools available, sign up for one of our free interactive webinars on how to make the best use of international aid data, taking place on 5th and 7th December. We’ll be covering a variety of tools which can be used to access open aid data, and go into detail on the use of IATI, OECD-DAC and World Bank portal data.}

_{Find out more and sign up here}

In other news…

Here’s a quick round up of what we’ve been reading/listening to this week…

OECD recently launched the Global Outlook on Financing for Sustainable Development at the Paris Peace Forum. headlines include:

• Financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries is a major challenge.
• External finance –which many developing countries continue to depend on heavily– has been going down, largely due to the drop in private flows, and coordination remains poor.
• The trend must be reversed: financing the sustainable development of poor countries is an investment in the well-being of all nations. OECD countries must face the challenge: urgent and bold action is needed.
• Mobilising more finance for developing countries is not enough; the quality – i.e. the “sustainable development footprint”– of all finance must be enhanced.

The Outlook makes recommendations for reforms in three areas:

1. better measurement of the quantity and quality of finance for the SDGs;
2. better incentives to direct the finance already available globally to the SDGs; and
3. better co-ordination of actors to connect the supply and demand for financing for sustainable development in developing countries.

BOND has just launched a new podcast series. The first episode considers the public and media attitudes to NGOs.

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