Innovative data solutions for fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS)

In FCAS, insecurity, displacement, weak institutional capacity, and political sensitivities often disrupt traditional surveys, censuses, and administrative systems – leaving major evidence gaps for decision makers.

Three practical data innovations can partially close these gaps: (i) mobile phone data (for example, Call Detail Records or CDRs) for targeting and mobility tracking; (ii) rapid-response phone surveys (RRPS) for high-frequency welfare monitoring; and (iii) satellite imagery, especially nighttime lights, for near-real-time measurement of economic activities.

Mobile-based targeting and RRPS scale quickly for urgent, low-cost programme delivery, while satellite indicators provide macro- and spatial diagnostics during conflict-related data blackouts.

These tools are complements and not substitutes for official statistics as they face coverage gaps, model drift, privacy risks, and representativity constraints. Thus, hybrid approaches that integrate innovations with representative surveys and administrative data perform best and can significantly strengthen evidence-based decision-making in FCAS.

Successful deployment depends on strong governance, privacy protections, transparent consent, ethical safeguards, and local capacity to manage bias.