Open Institute

Open Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Nairobi, Kenya, whose mission is to collaborate with governments, citizens, civil society organizations, and other players to develop policies, tools, and knowledge that strengthen citizens’ voices in the governance and development of their societies. With this grant, Open Institute will promote strong data governance in Kenya and Africa generally. Together with partner organization Amnesty International Kenya, Open Institute will help operationalize Kenya’s Data Protection Act to ensure that Kenyans benefit from the advantages of technology without compromising their fundamental rights, and will promote responsible data use in the context of the COVID-19 response in Kenya and other African countries. This grant is part of a cluster of grants under the Evidence-Informed Policymaking strategy to strengthen a field of African institutions working on data governance. The goal of this cluster is to help governments in East and West Africa develop policy frameworks that balance public good uses of data with data privacy and protection.

Open Institute is a Kenyan civil society organization that works with government institutions, citizens, and grassroots groups to promote responsive governments and active citizenship. Open Institute works in three Kenyan counties to engage government officials and community elders in the design and implementation of county statistical units to monitor progress toward development goals.