In a crucial step toward leveraging data for national development, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in collaboration with Zimbabwe’s National Statistical System, hosted a Technical Working Group meeting on October 1, 2024, at Rainbow Towers, Harare. The meeting focused on advancing the Data for Development and Innovation (DFDI) initiative, which aims to harness data for informed decision-making to drive economic growth and development.
Miranda Tabifor, the UNFPA Representative and Co-Chair of the DFDI Technical Working Group, emphasized the importance of using data to create sustainable solutions for the country’s challenges. “By revitalizing the DFDI Technical Working Group, we are setting the foundation for informed policymaking, which ultimately benefits all stakeholders,” she said.
The DFDI initiative, launched in March 2024, has already achieved significant milestones, including the creation of a joint work plan and the successful hosting of a Data User-Producer Symposium in June 2024. The symposium brought together data producers, users, and policymakers to discuss gaps in data collection and the opportunities for collaboration across sectors.
Key outcomes from the symposium include the redesign of the DFDI Technical Working Group into five key clusters: Economic, Social, Environment, Governance, and Innovation. Each cluster is tasked with developing and implementing joint work plans for the remainder of 2024, focusing on closing data gaps and improving Zimbabwe’s ability to track its progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Tabifor acknowledged the collective effort in propelling the DFDI agenda forward, while also encouraging continued collaboration. “While we have made significant progress, our work is far from over. It is through collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to data-driven development that we can create a brighter future for Zimbabwe,” she said.
As Zimbabwe continues to strengthen its data systems, the DFDI initiative is expected to play a crucial role in enhancing decision-making processes across all sectors of the economy, ultimately fostering sustainable development and inclusive growth.
The next steps will include expanding the DFDI clusters’ efforts, continuing the dialogue between data producers and users, and ensuring that data gaps identified during the review of SDG indicators are addressed.
