Afrobarometer Builds Data Skills Of Forty Civil Society Representatives, Journalists In West Africa
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
Forty participants made up of Representatives from Civil Society Organisations and journalists in West Africa have gained skills in data analysis and interpretation in an intensive capacity building workshop organized by Afrobarometer in Abuja, Nigeria.
The five-day training programme equipped 20 members of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, and 20 journalists on how to use public attitude data in their advocacy and reporting, in furtherance of Afrobarometer’s mission to amplify African voices in policy discussions.
The pan-African research network introduced participants to its mission and methodology, laying a solid foundation in fundamental data concepts enabling the participants to explore Afrobarometer’s rigorous sampling techniques and hone their skills in interpreting various data visualisations.
The training also afforded the participants opportunity to master Afrobarometer’s free online data analysis (ODA) tool through a mix of individual work, group discussions, and collaborative exercises, where participants developed practical skills in data exploration, analysis, and interpretation.
According to Afrobarometer’s capacity building manager, advanced track, Jason Owen, both CSOs and journalists benefit from strengthened foundations in research and policy analysis, enriching their work with data-driven insights adding that even when data is available, there is often a gap in its use for policy and decision-making.
He said Afrobarometer aims to bridge this gap through its capacity-building programme for stakeholders, including civil society organisations and the programme empowers partners to access, analyse, and interpret data, enabling them to advocate for policy positions that reflect the views of ordinary citizens.
For Afrobarometer’s Capacity Building Manager, basic track, Dominique Dryding, journalists have a huge influence on public narratives and are often the key drivers of public debate, which is why Afrobarometer has prioritised training journalists to help increase data-driven reporting and ensure that citizens’ voices inform those national conversations.
Participants were enthusiastic about their newly acquired skills. A development consultant, Jide Ojo, described the training “impactful” saying that through the workshop, he can now understand and analyse data better, and through the ODA, he can run his data from Afrobarometer sources and use it extensively in his development consultations.
For a news producer for the Gambia Radio & Television Service, Sally Jarju, as a news producer, she didn’t know how to analyse and interpret Afrobarometer data and charts, but through the workshop, she can now do so.
She is enthusiastic about sharing the knowledge and new skill of using the ODA in analysing and interpreting data from Afrobarometer’s website with her media colleagues back in the Gambia.
The workshop is part of Afrobarometer’s ongoing commitment to strengthening Africa’s young researchers.
By empowering CSOs and journalists with data literacy skills, Afrobarometer aims to enhance the quality of public discourse and decision-making processes throughout Africa.
As Afrobarometer continues to expand its capacity building initiatives, it remains dedicated to fostering a more informed, engaged, and democratic Africa.
Afrobarometer, AB, is a trusted source of high-quality data and analysis on what Africans are thinking.
AB is leading the charge to bridge the continent’s data gap with an unmatched track record of 385,000+ interviews in 42 countries, representing the views of more than three-fourths of the African population.
AB data inform many global indices, such as the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer, and the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators.
The data are also used for country risk analyses and by credit rating and forecasting agencies such as the Economist Intelligence Unit.
All AB data can be analysed free of charge using AB’s online data analysis tool as data sets are available on its website www.afrobarometer.org.
