Citizen-generated data (CGD) expands what gets measured, how, and for what purpose. CGD initiatives cover areas from cartography to government policies, public services, or environmental research. As the collection and engagement with CGD rises in relevance and visibility, public institutions can learn from existing initiatives about what CGD initiatives do, how they enable different forms of sense-making, and how this may further progress around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This report examines different approaches to doing and organizing CGD, as well as how governments already engage with these types of initiatives. It identifies several concrete benefits for implementing and monitoring the SDGs, underlining the importance for public institutions to further support these initiatives.