Contracted by The Asia Foundation Data for Development, FDM had carried out the open data landscape study in eleven municipalities across seven provinces in 2018. The study had assessed the open data scenario across knowledge, attitude, practice and capacity among local government, civil society organizations (CSOs), private sector, media and citizens. Qualitative method was adopted for the study whereby KIIs and FGDs were administered with the aforementioned stakeholders. Rater format, a tool that researcher filled in based on their impression on the interaction with the stakeholders, were filled in after each qualitative consultation. Immersion was also carried out to get a sense of understanding of citizens from the grass root level. Intensive literature review had been done prior
to the tool design to understand the policy and national context on open data. Based on the findings, FDM had developed a report and visually represented for eleven municipalities through infographs. In 2019, the contract was further extended to disseminate the findings from the first phase to those municipalities. The central idea of the dissemination workshops was to help the locals understand data and information context in their municipalities while also validate the findings generated. Based on the issues identified in each municipalities, stakeholders were urged to develop an action plan for facilitating access and demand to data and information in the municipalities.
Donor: The Asia Foundation
Study area (municipalities): Damak, Belbari, Dhankuta, Kalaiya, Bhimeswor, Waling, Tansen, Ghorahi, Birendranagar, Tikapur, Amargadhi
Study method: Literature review, FGD, KII and immersion in Phase 1 and dissemination workshops in Phase 2
Study duration: March-August 2018 [Phase 1] and January-April 2019 [Phase 2]