THE metaphor of you can’t have your cake and eat it does not apply in non-rival products. You can eat them and have them. Data and statistics, which are an artefact of human genius, like nature’s gift, air, are non-rival. Everyone breathes – inhales and exhales. In its state of fair play many can access the same data simultaneously.
Data and statistics are inexhaustible. The political economy of data and statistics in the context of the Big Data driven data revolution is taking on infinite, complex as well as complicated dimensions, which are not limited to, but include artificial intelligence, monetisation and the ownership of data.
In 2014 August, the then secretary-general of the UN assembled a multi-disciplinary team of 25 who constituted an Independent Expert Advisory Group on data revolution. The specific task given to us was to make concrete recommendations on bringing about a data revolution in sustainable development. I represented the Africa region of statisticians.
By November 2014, we tabled a report of the assignment titled A World that Counts. The report attempted to anticipate the multiple dilemmas that the world of data and statistical systems would unravel. One of these dilemmas is the paradox of the intrinsic property of data being non-rival yet remaining inaccessible to many. Like air, which in its natural state is abundant and non-rival, but its economics rarifies it, diminishes its quality and value and renders it inaccessible, so is the political economy of data and statistics.
The dangers of pollutants that create different forms of lung disease are similar to the toxicity that afflicts data and statistical systems. Just as there has or there is the commission on climate, the Independent Expert Advisory Group recommended that there be a World Data Forum that will use the convening powers of the UN. The aim of the formation was to shape the mandate, production, access, utilisation and collaboration of stakeholders in benefit realisation of this abundant resource.
The first step to achieve the objectives of the UN World Data Forum was to convene all stakeholders. We as Statistics South Africa hosted the first UN World Data Forum in Cape Town in January 2017, and we generated the Cape Town Global Action Plan (CT-GAP) that was adopted by the UN Statistics Commission at their March 2017 sitting.
Six strategic areas focused attention on data and statistics as a public good and not new private oil. After all, data and statistics are a product of universal collaborative work.
The strategic areas were: coordination and strategic leadership on data for sustainable development; innovation and modernisation of national statistical systems; strengthening of basic statistical activities and programmes, with particular focus on addressing the monitoring needs of the 2030 Agenda; dissemination and use of sustainable development data; multi-stakeholder partnerships for sustainable development data; and, mobilising resources and coordinating efforts for statistical capacity building.
The journey since the initial step of 2014 has brought together new lessons in the leadership of statistics. There has been a monumental shift from the notion of statistical organisation and office to a nomenclature of a system.
New Zealand especially has been at the forefront of the curve. Their chief statistician is given the authority of a national data steward, who presides over the national data and statistical system. In this regard, this role resident in the chief statistician ensures that data and statistics cannot be the new oil that gets privately monetised, but remains a truly public good. That resolves the privatisation of that which is organically public and non-rival.
Liberating and unleashing the power of measurement can improve the quality of our politics and life. We have to take heed from Lord Kevin when he says, “When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it. When you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind. It may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the stage of science.”
That is the essence of the platform Statistics South Africa was privileged with by hosting the first UN World Data Forum on Lord Kevin’s call of the quest to unleash the power of measurement.
We need to disabuse ourselves from politics of disrespect, relieve the world of the burdens of ignorance inspired politics and move rapidly to data and statistics driven politics.
Dr Pali Lehohla is the director of the Economic Modelling Academy, a Professor of Practice at the University of Johannesburg, a Research Associate at Oxford University, a board member of Institute for Economic Justice at Wits and a distinguished Alumni of the University of Ghana. He is the former Statistician-General of South Africa.
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