2024 @ Wada Na Todo Abhiyan

January: WNTA focused on empowering marginalized communities through citizen-generated data, conducting important studies in Bihar and Rajasthan. These studies aimed to address the living conditions and challenges faced by Scheduled Tribes in Bihar and De-notified and Nomadic Tribes in Rajasthan. The surveys targeted key development indicators such as education, housing, sanitation, and access to welfare programs. As a result, over 200 families from vulnerable backgrounds in both states successfully applied for social security schemes, while 1,000 individuals were reached through awareness campaigns. These efforts aim to alleviate poverty and improve social and economic conditions, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Research coordinated by Ankit Vyas

Social mobilisation coordinated by Adrian Dcruz

Project design and coordination Aditi Anand

Reports available on: https://www.wadanatodo.net/citizendata

February: WNTA participated in the 16th World Social Forum (WSF) held in Kathmandu, Nepal. This global event brought together over 50,000 participants from movements worldwide, advocating for a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world. WNTA lent its support to the Forum's calls for social change, particularly for marginalized groups, through solidarity with movements for workers, farmers, ethnic communities, and women’s rights. The WSF served as a platform for exchanging ideas on alternatives to neoliberal policies, reinforcing WNTA's commitment to global justice and equity.

March: WNTA, in collaboration with its state chapters, released a “People’s Manifesto” ahead of the Union Elections of 2024. This was based on the review of governance promises made by the NDA-II government over the past four years. The manifesto highlighted the demands of marginalized communities and was shared with civil society actors and political parties. The goal was to ensure these issues were reflected in political manifestos and to hold the government accountable for its promises in key areas such as social justice, welfare, and governance.

May: WNTA participated in the UN Civil Society Conference (UNCSC) held in Nairobi on May 9-10. The conference brought together global civil society organizations, including WNTA's partners at Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), Action for Sustainable Development (A4SD), and the LNOB Partnership at the International Civil Society Center (ICSC). The conference focused on fostering multi-stakeholder engagement and contributing to global sustainable development goals. WNTA's participation underscored its commitment to global advocacy for poverty reduction, inclusion, and sustainable development, marking an important step in the lead-up to the Summit of the Future.

July: WNTA, in association with the Collaborative on Citizen Data and the LNOB Partnership, participated in side events during the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). These events emphasized the importance of citizen-generated data in supporting SDG implementation, advocating for inclusive data practices that include civil society and marginalized groups. WNTA’s contributions to the 3rd Expert Group Meeting on Citizen Data further highlighted the need for integrating citizen data into official statistics to enhance transparency and accountability in policymaking, particularly for marginalized communities.

August: WNTA attended a roundtable discussion on the Health Accountability Scorecard organized by APCASO, Touched by TB, and other partners on August 30 in New Delhi. The event evaluated government progress on health-related indicators, including pandemic preparedness, TB response, and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The scorecard, a critical tool for assessing governmental commitments on health, aims to ensure accountability by monitoring policy implementation through civil society engagement. WNTA's participation in the discussion emphasized the need for ongoing civil society involvement in health advocacy and policy improvements.

September: WNTA organized a Rajasthan State-Level Consultation on Nomadic, Semi-Nomadic, and De-notified Tribes (DNT) on September 13, 2024. The consultation focused on the challenges faced by these communities and aimed to amplify their voices. During the consultation, strategies for expanding mobilization efforts and strengthening collaboration with local stakeholders and policymakers were discussed. WNTA's efforts to preserve the history and culture of DNT communities were also emphasized, with a focus on creating actionable plans for sustained advocacy and development.

October:

1. Report Release: 100 Days of Governance: A Citizen’s Review In October, WNTA released its annual governance review, assessing the NDA-III government's first 100 days. The report evaluated the government's policies concerning marginalized communities, social protection, and civic space in India. The report’s launch sparked insightful discussions among experts, including economists, historians, and journalists, who emphasized the growing wealth disparity, the importance of civil society voices, and the need for stronger media accountability. The report also offered recommendations for future governance strategies focused on inclusivity and social justice.

Report available on: https://www.wadanatodo.net/governance-review

2. Representation at the Global Sustainable Development Report Workshop WNTA was represented at the regional workshop for the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) in October. This workshop, aimed at advancing the SDG localization process, allowed WNTA to highlight India’s sub-national SDG implementation strategies. The workshop focused on developing capacities for SDG integration and was part of the ongoing efforts to implement evidence-based approaches to sustainable development in the region.

November:

1. World Data Forum Participation WNTA participated in the 5th United Nations World Data Forum in Medellín, Colombia, from November 11-15. The Forum emphasized the importance of citizen data in achieving the SDGs. WNTA contributed to discussions on how citizen data can complement traditional statistics, particularly in revealing the experiences of marginalized communities. This participation reinforced WNTA’s commitment to creating a more inclusive data ecosystem and promoting data-driven advocacy for sustainable development.

The Global Partnership for Sustainable Data in collaboration with DANE, the University Pontificia Bolivariana, APC Colombia, the International Civil Society Centre through its LNOB partnership, and the Collaborative on Citizen Data also organized a peer exchange ahead of the WDF to bring together approximately 60 participants over one day to exchange progress and best practices on citizen data. Participants apart from WNTA included National Statistical Offices, Government Ministries, Academia, Civil Society and international organizations and a learning exchange was carried out with the following objectives:

• To exchange best practices, across countries and organizations on citizen Data.
• Foster a sense of collaboration among the participants represented in efforts to champion citizen data at the country level and through the Collaborative on Citizen Data

2. South and South-West Asia Workshop on Evidence-Based National Reviews On November 11, WNTA participated in a workshop focused on preparing for India’s third Voluntary National Review (VNR) for SDG implementation. The workshop, which included government officials, civil society organizations, and experts, aimed to strengthen the role of citizen-generated data (CGD) in national reviews. WNTA’s contributions underscored the significance of integrating CGD into India’s SDG reporting process, ensuring that marginalized voices are adequately represented in national and global dialogues.

3. Global consultation with civil society: Digital Roundtable on UNDP’s New Strategic Plan 2026-2029 This Roundtable was co-organized by UNDP and civil society representatives and WNTA was invited to be on the panel for this discussion. This consultation was an integral part of the ongoing global consultations on UNDP’s New Strategic Plan 2026-2029. Around 100 civil society representatives participated in this online consultation, contributions from panelists and participants focused on a range of issues from enhancing civil society engagement, strengthening democratic processes, promoting inclusive growth, and addressing critical environmental and social challenges. The inputs made by WNTA reflected the need of a continuing and expanding focus on the 'Leave No One Behind' agenda and equally prioritising the Reaching the Furthest Behind first principle laid out in the 2030 agenda.

Report of the consultation available here.

Recording of the consultation: https://youtu.be/yGQZZ2faj3k

December: WNTA facilitated civil society participation in a consultation with MoSPI and UNRCO India on ‘Citizen-Generated Data (CGD) to explore strategies for leveraging CGD for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’. The meeting was held on December 11 in New Delhi and representatives from 10 civil society organizations were present for the discussion on the nature of data they generate, it’s need and it’s application. The officials present recognised the value of citizen data and deliberated exploring the methods for authenticating the collected data and take this conversation forward in consultation with UN and civil society actors.