Inclusive data and digital tools for informal settlements

More than a billion people live in slums and informal settlements, mainly in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICS). There is a global housing crisis, violating one of the fundamental human rights, and no consistent local reporting approach exists to quantify progress towards SDG 11.1 to “ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and upgrade slums”. The global community urgently needs localized data that can be produced at scale so that local action can be taken to address the needs of neglected and vulnerable populations alongside local governments.

Presently many methods and tools are developed within the research community to effectively monitor the dynamics of informal settlements and slums and spatial inequalities. However, there are two major challenges in this space. First, there is insufficient cooperation between different research groups working on methods and tools. Second, the research community is insufficiently engaging with community groups and policymakers to understand local information needs.

To deal with Challenge 1: This networking event will bring together key research groups working on methods and tools to develop operational monitoring spatial inequalities around SDG 11.1. The event aims to form the basis for a federated exchange platform around the comparison of methods and tool development that includes the creation of a white paper reflecting on knowledge shared during this event and the development of an exchange platform to grow the discussion.

To deal with Challenge 2: This networking event will bring together tool builders and user communities as part of the federated approach to co-designing digital tools according to information needs and to understand what outputs can make the biggest impact on user communities. Panel discussions and open forums facilitated within the event will break down existing barriers that segment these two groups.

The event will begin with a series of short pitches of digital tools and their methods for tackling the aforementioned challenges. These pitches will be followed by panel discussions that reflect on the existing landscape, drawing on perspectives from a diverse range of stakeholder backgrounds. The third section of the event will engage event participants through the use of digital tools to facilitate Q&A and open discussion.

- Solving challenges 1 & 2 using digital tools and methods as well as exposing challenges not discussed.
- Making an impact with digital tools in local spaces.
- Learning from the success of citizen-centred digital tools in other contexts.
- Fostering positive interaction between local urban communities and policymakers through data and digital tools.

The conclusion of the event will be hosted by the organizers. It will focus on summarising learnings and advancements made through collaboration in the session with a particular aim to shape the development of the exchange platform.