UNESCO demonstrates global impact through new transparency portal
In an effort to combat extreme poverty in Mali, UNESCO is currently financing a 57 000 USD project, focusing on youth policies. The project aims to increase youth participation in the social, cultural and economic spheres, demonstrating UNESCO’s commitment to ensure that aid effectively contributes to sustainable development.
This project is one of 982 country projects, along with 430 regional projects and 516 global projects that UNESCO has supervised since 1970. All this information, and more, can be found on http://Opendata.UNESCO.org which is UNESCO’s new Transparency Portal, launched with the support of the UK.
“We need each and every Member State on board to make this a success. We are thrilled and hope we can share more details in the future” said UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova.
Opendata.UNESCO.org is intended to present comprehensive, quality and timely information about UNESCO’s projects, enabling users to find information by country/region, funding source, and sector and providing comprehensive project data, including budget, expenditure, completion status, implementing organization, project documents, and more. It publishes program and financial information that are in line with UN system-experience of the IATI (International Aid Transparency Initiative) standards and other relevant transparency initiatives. UNESCO is now part of more than 230 organizations that have published to the IATI Registry, which brings together donor and developing countries, civil society organizations and other experts in aid information who are committed to working together to increase the transparency of aid.
Since its creation 70 years ago, UNESCO has tirelessly championed the causes of education, culture, natural sciences, social and human sciences, communication and information, globally. For instance – started in March 2010, the program for the Enhancement of Literacy in Afghanistan (ELA) benefited from a $19.5 million contribution by Japan. It aimed to improve the level of literacy, numeracy and vocational skills of the adult population in 70 districts of 15 provinces of Afghanistan. Over the next three years, until April 2013, the ELA programme helped some 360,000 adult learners in General Literacy compotency. An interactive map allows for an easy identification of UNESCO’s high-impact programs, and up-to-date information of current and future aid allocations within and across countries.
Public participation and interactivity are key to the success of any open data project. http://Opendata.UNESCO.org will evolve as Member States and partners will get involved, by displaying data on their own websites and sharing data among different networks, building and sharing applications, providing feedback, comments, and recommendations.
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