We recently had the opportunity to speak with Thavan Rajoo, Director of Finance at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), about their experience with publishing data according to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) standard and the services provided by Data4Development.
ISS is a leading African non-profit organization that is dedicated to building a secure future for the continent by enhancing human security through sustainable peace and prosperity. They have offices in South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Senegal, and their expertise includes areas such as transnational crimes, migration, maritime security, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, crime prevention, criminal justice, and conflict and governance analysis.
Why ISS Publishes IATI Data
To promote transparency and accountability in their work, ISS publishes data according to the IATI standard. By publishing data on their projects and activities, ISS is able to demonstrate the impact of their work and ensure that their donors and stakeholders can track their progress. This level of transparency also helps ISS to build trust with their partners and stakeholders and can help to attract new donors and funding. In addition, publishing to the IATI standard allows ISS to contribute to the global effort to improve aid effectiveness and coordination, ultimately helping to enhance the impact of their work on the ground.
The Benefits of IATI Publication
Publishing data according to IATI standards has brought several benefits to ISS. Firstly, it has improved the transparency of ISS’s reporting, making it easier for donors to understand and assess the impact of their investments. Secondly, IATI publication has enabled ISS to establish itself as a trusted partner for donors, governments, and civil society organisations. Finally, IATI publication has allowed ISS to operate more efficiently, freeing up valuable resources that can be used to drive positive change across Africa.
Why Anyone Can Publish in IATI
IATI is a global standard for publishing information about development cooperation activities. It is open to all organisations involved in development cooperation, including governments, international organisations, and civil society organisations. The IATI standard provides a transparent and accessible way for organisations to report on their activities, making it easier for donors to understand and assess the impact of their investments.
D4D Support
ISS required support and tools that could help them efficiently manage the data loading and reporting process. This is where Data4Development (D4D) comes in. As a partner, D4D provided the support and tools needed to help ISS meet their IATI reporting requirements. According to Thavan, with D4D’s support, ISS was able to load the data and report to IATI standards quickly and efficiently. The initial setup took just 6 hours, and subsequent publication deadlines required just 2 hours of effort. This was achieved with just 5 staff members involved in the reporting process, allowing ISS to manage their resources effectively.
In conclusion, ISS has found IATI publication to be beneficial in several ways. It has enabled them to comply with donor reporting requirements, improved the transparency of their reporting, and allowed them to establish themselves as a trusted partner for donors, governments, and civil society organisations. ISS’s partnership with D4D has enabled them to manage the data loading and reporting process more efficiently, freeing up valuable resources that can be used to drive positive change across Africa. The IATI standard is open to all organisations involved in development cooperation, and ISS encourages others to publish data in accordance with IATI standards to improve the transparency and accountability of their reporting.