Open Data Panama

In recent years, Panama’s government has increased the availability of data to citizens. But this alone cannot transform governments. Media and civil society engagement must help unlock the potential of open data, make it clear and useful for citizens, and reveal information that can expose and prevent abuses of power.

A new program run by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) will be engaging citizens to increase transparency and accountability in Panama by creating a community of open data leaders.

About the Program

The program, Open Data Panama (Abriendo Datos Panama), aims to empower the participants by pooling their skills as civil society experts, journalists, students, technologists, data experts and designers to create interactive data-driven projects. These projects will bring citizens into the open government movement and encourage the use of open data.

This program aims to:

• Create and nurture a network of civil society and open data leaders to promote citizen engagement and government transparency
• Close the gap between data supply and demand in Panama

• Develop the capacity of civil society organizations and journalists to use open data to show trends in corruption and expose abuses of power

• Link journalists and civil society advocates with technologists to collaborate on data-driven projects

Program Activities

ICFJ has partnered with the Centro Latinoamericano de Periodismo (CELAP) and Nueva Nación to implement activities to forge lasting links among journalists, data experts, civil society advocates, designers and technologists who want to advance effective governance that serves the public.

The program will include:

• Three-Day Data Bootcamp: 60 participants will come together to learn practical skills to harness government data to promote transparency.

• Open Data Projects: Develop data-driven, interactive projects conceptualized during the boot camp to engage citizens and policymakers in the open data movement. Six projects will ultimately be chosen for seed funding and technical support.

• Six workshops for journalists and journalism students on data processing and analysis.

• Bimonthly meetups with a community of civil society leaders, journalists, technologists and entrepreneurs committed to sustaining collaboration that promotes transparency and accountability.

This program is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Panama.

Opportunities will be posted on this page as they become available. Check back soon.

Primary Partners: CELAP and Nueva Nación

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