The Guardian: Tracking the global goals: four steps to make data matter
Dustin Homer, director of engagement and partnerships, and Paige Kirby, engagement and partnerships associate, both at Development Gateway

“…While international efforts are important, the quality, usefulness, and availability of local data will have the biggest impact on the world’s most vulnerable; local people make decisions about the budgets and services that will affect those we do not wish to leave behind. But local data needs are often overlooked. … As we look ahead to 2030 and the data investments needed to get us there, we must think locally about data quality, resources, and the use of data in meeting the [Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)]. Investments in data should focus on more than increasing supply. We should build skills, reward those who use data well, create more operational links between results and resources, and focus on creating local-friendly environments for data use in development. The supply of data is only one half of being ‘data-driven.’ Over the next 15 years, we must prioritize demand” (5/4).