NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

COVID-19 has deepened already existing inequalities, hitting the poorest and most vulnerable communities hardest. The pandemic has exposed the consequences of economic and social inequality and has jeopardized already fragile social safety nets that leave vulnerable communities to bear the brunt of the crisis. Addressing these growing inequalities will be key to not only achieving SDG 10 on reducing inequalities, but ensuring other goals are met and that no-one is left behind.

Geospatial technologies can be used to help identify gaps in progress on the goals and empower decision makers to course correct interventions to better target those most in need. However, despite an abundance of geospatial data, tools, and technologies readily available, access to reliable and consistent mapping data and analytics still remains out of reach for many low- and middle-income countries. For instance, a lack of connectivity or access to data and the associated technologies can make it difficult for organizations in rural and remote areas to share geospatial information, leading to a geospatial digital divide.

But initiatives such as the SDG Data Hub and the SDG Data Alliance aim to help bridge this gap by helping communities see patterns and trends around inequality, and offering a framework to create a reporting environment for the SDGs. This event, hosted by Devex in partnership with Esri, will showcase examples and best practices in leveraging geospatial tools and technologies to mitigate different forms of inequality, as well as discuss some of the complexities and nuances involved in closing the geospatial digital divide so that no-one is left behind.

Time: 10 a.m. ET | 4 p.m. CET