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 — and together with partner organization Amnesty International Kenya — Open Institute will continue work supporting the effective operationalization of Kenya’s Data Protection Act, scaling up awareness campaigns on data governance and rights to privacy, and bolstering regional cooperation therein. This renewal 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.

The Global Goals for Local Impact project, coordinated by the Open Institute, will inform Kenyan citizens in six villages about their government’s commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, and facilitate citizen engagement in the prioritization and implementation of development policies and public services. The project builds on a 10-month pilot in Lanet Umoja in north Nakuru County, which increased citizen engagement and local government responsiveness to the demand for clean water.

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.