In today’s fast-evolving digital age, data has become a foundational asset — powering economic development, innovation, public service delivery, and social transformation. Yet without effective governance, data’s potential can quickly give way to risks: privacy breaches, algorithmic bias, security threats, and deepening digital divides. The lack of coherent, rights-based, and interoperable data governance frameworks hinders cross-border collaboration, impairs trust, and limits equitable access to data-driven opportunities, particularly for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
To address this urgent global challenge, the Broadband Commission Working Group on Data Governance has developed the Data Governance Toolkit: Navigating Data in the Digital Age, to be officially launched at the WSIS+20 High-Level Forum on 8 July 2025 in Geneva. Co-chaired by UNESCO, UNDP, ITU, and the African Union Commission, the Toolkit serves as a practical, capacity-building resource for policymakers, regulators, and governments. It offers actionable guidance on key data governance priorities — including legal frameworks, institutional roles, cross-border data flows, digital self-determination, and data for AI.
As a key capacity building resource, the Toolkit aims to empower policymakers, regulators and data practitioners to navigate the complexities of data governance in the digital era. Plans are currently underway to translate the Toolkit into French, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic to ensure broader global accessibility and impact. Pilot implementation at country level is also being explored for Q4 2025 to support national-level uptake.
