Recognizing existing threats to safety and security faced by those who speak out against development and investment activities, the Early Warning System is committed to ensuring the ethical use of data that prioritizes the right to privacy and security and minimizes potential harm to individuals and communities.

The Early Warning System collects two types of data:

  • public Information from development finance institutions and others about development projects
  • private information from people around the world who work and live near development projects

The Early Warning System Data Policy covers both data types and is based on Responsible Data and the Handbook of the Modern Development Specialist – guidelines from an active collective of rights and data specialists. Read more: responsibledata.io

To ensure the responsible and ethical use of data in our operations and communications, the Early Warning System is committed to implementing the following principles:

Responsible 
Responsible data is defined as:

“The duty to ensure people’s rights to consent, privacy security and ownership around the information processes of collection, analysis, storage, presentation and reuse of data, while respecting the values of transparency and openness.”

Source: The Handbook of the Modern Development Specialist
Read more: https://responsibledata.io/resources/handbook/

Community-Centered
For development to be successful, we believe it needs to be designed and lived by the same people. Similarly, our approach to data is community-led and centered. Information about development projects is often inaccessible to the people who need it the most. Documents may be too technical, stored in a complicated format or unavailable in local languages. To overcome these barriers, we write about and present our work in a clear and accessible manner and where needed, translate our materials into relevant languages.

To make sure we are not reinforcing existing inequalities or jeopardizing the safety of those involved, the people we collect data about are also co-designers in the research process. They have the final say on how this data will be used.

Collective
The Early Warning System is a collective community-centered project. This initiative is possible because of the contributions of a diverse set of civil society partners, including international and national organizations, community-led groups, universities, and technology experts.

Accurate
The information from development finance institutions has been reviewed and verified by the Early Warning System team or partner prior to publication. As much as possible, we try to keep information about projects and investments up to date. Given the volume of information available and inconsistent disclosure practices, this is not always possible. In such cases, the “Last Updated Date” and link to original disclosures will lead you to the latest updates.

Transparent
To ensure transparency in our approach, we have published our methodology on this website. The methodology includes an explanation of how we carry out our research and activities. Where possible, we will publish research findings in their original form, removing any identifying information to protect the privacy of participants.

Adaptable
The information available on this website is intended to support community-led efforts to improve development plans and outcomes. We work with our partners to expand access to information about pending projects that may impact human and environmental rights. We also seek to amplify community campaigns to shape development according to local expertise and priorities. We will continue to work with our partners to improve and update our approach to accommodate changing political and social contexts.

Secure
We prioritize the privacy and security of participants prior to engaging in any research activities, especially in cases where people may face backlash for choosing to speak out or engage in research. Identifying information about participants is not stored on this website or made public without the explicit consent of those involved. We are also committed to conducting regular assessments to pre-empt possible misuse of information published on this website.

Creative Commons 4.0
The information on this website is covered under Creative Commons License 4.0.