Abstract

The recent decade was characterized by a swift acceleration of digital technologies, prompting a revolution in how data is produced and collected. This has modified the landscape in which national statistical systems (NSS) operate and develop official statistics. This novel arena, known as the “Data Revolution,” is both a challenge and an opportunity for NSS. On the one hand, the Data Revolution poses a challenge to NSS because of the absence of explicit guidance on how to use innovative data sources. On the other hand, the same novel data sources, typically produced in bulk and at high frequencies, reveal itself as an opportunity to generate more timely, accurate, and consistent data for evidence-based policy. In both challenges and opportunities, multilateral development institutions occupy a unique role to facilitate the quick adaptation of NSS in using non-traditional data. This is accomplished by promoting a “Data Culture” founded on consistency, agility, data governance, credibility, cooperation, and data literacy. The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI), through its partnership with development institutions such as the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD), the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has faced the challenges and harnessed the opportunities to promote socioeconomic transformation in IsDB member countries through evidence-based policy. The IsDBI and its partners have worked with non-traditional data sources, such as satellite imagery, to aid in crafting agricultural and social policies. The partnership has also brought together experts spanning several countries to share best practices in developing statistics. With a common Data Culture at the heart of these partnerships, the IsDB champions a robust and evidence-based decision culture in its member countries.