2016

Open Statistical Data - Palestine

Source in Arabic:    ESCWA-OECD Case Study - Open Statistics Data, Palestine   

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) adopted the internationally approved open data standards for strengthening open data policies and coverage; and it enables the use of available data through its website without any charges and based on terms of use that are guided by the Creative Commons license.

Implementation: 2016

Contributor(s)

Contributors to this initiative include the PCBS team and a national team for open government data, which was formed by the Council of Ministers with the membership of several governmental and non-governmental institutions and chaired by the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology.

Purpose

The aim of opening statistical data is to enhance its policies, improve its coverage and openness, and make it available in different formats and levels and according to international standards, as well as providing data users with valuable information and time series data with different levels of dissemination.

Functions

  • Rely on international standards and tools, especially the Open Data Inventory tool that was developed by the Open Data Watch, which tracks local official statistics and assesses the level of data coverage and openness and the extent to which open data principles are applied.
  • Work on developing the statistical system and improving the efficiency of services, enhancing open data policies and their scope of coverage, improving access to data, applying open data standards, and enhancing the rank of Palestine in the global assessment.
  • Prepare a draft policy for open government data and convene related meetings.

Clients

Public institutions and entities governing the economic sector, and various stakeholders and users of open government data in decision-making and planning.

Outcome

Based on reports of the Open Data Watch that rank world countries based on data coverage and openness, Palestine ranked 50th of 180 countries in the open data inventory with an overall score of 56 per cent for the data coverage and openness combined.  It also ranked fourth between Western Asia countries.

Challenges

  • Providing sufficient national data and indicators with their detailed levels and time series for dissemination.
  • Adopting a specific open data policy and regulatory framework for the national teams.

Useful links

PCBS Open Data Inventory (ODIN)
PCBS Open Government Data initiative platform

 

 

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