The emergence of new data-driven businesses and the growth of existing ones call for the availability of open data sets, as data needs to be connected with those who can drive granular insights. Simply put, open data is data that is available to anyone and everyone for access, modification, reuse, and sharing. It can help people gain a better knowledge of global issues and difficulties. It has the potential to provide a significant boost to enterprises. It has the potential to be a huge boost for machine learning. It has the potential to aid in the fight against global issues such as disease, crime, and famine.  

Open data has the potential to empower citizens and thereby promote democracy. It has the ability to simplify the processes and systems that society and governments have created. It has the potential to change the way we perceive and interact with the world. Understanding its potential many international, national, big or small organisations are offering free data sets. Here’s is a list of top international open data sources: 

Word Bank open data 

Databases at the World Bank are vital instruments for supporting critical management decisions and supplying key statistical data for Bank operations. The use of internationally recognised standards and norms produces a consistent and dependable source of data. Microdata, time-series statistics, and geospatial data are among the more than 5,000 datasets and 14000 indicators available through World Bank Open Data. All you have to do is type in the names of the indicators, countries, or topics, and it will take you to a treasure trove of Open Data. You can also download data in a variety of formats, including CSV, Excel, and XML. 

The Data Catalog provides a “One-Stop-Shop” for development data produced, acquired or used by the World Bank. This includes metadata for datasets from other catalogues such as the Microdata Library, EnergyData.Info, Finances and World Bank Open Data API. Where needed, the Data Catalog also serves as a data storage repository, providing long-term storage for World Bank development data. 

WHO open data repository 

Widely known as the Global Health Observatory (GHO) is WHO's gateway to health-related statistics for its 194 Member States. It provides access to over 1000 indicators on priority health topics including mortality and burden of diseases, non-communicable diseases and risk factors, the Millennium Development Goals (child nutrition, child health, maternal and reproductive health, immunization, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, neglected diseases, water and sanitation), epidemic-prone diseases, environmental health, health systems, violence and injuries, equity among others. 

The good news is that you can download whatever data you require in Excel format. You can also use its data portal to monitor and analyse data. 

European Union open data portal 

With more than 1.3 million datasets covering 36 countries, the EU Open Data Portal is a one-stop-shop for vital open data pertaining to EU policy domains. These policy domains include economy and finance, science and technology, employment, environment, and education. Around 70 EU institutions, organisations, or departments have made their datasets public and enabled access, including the European Environment Agency, Eurostat, the Joint Research Centre, and other European Commission Directorates-General and EU Agencies.  

UNICEF dataset 

UNICEF has compiled relevant data on education, child labour, child disability, child mortality, low birth weight, antenatal care, maternal mortality, water and sanitation, pneumonia, malaria, iodine deficiency disorder, female genital mutilation or cutting, and adolescents since it deals with a wide range of critical issues. UNICEF’s Data & Analytics (D&A) team’s work bolsters its role as an authentic source of data and information on children. Additionally, the team is also exploring how innovations in big data and emerging techniques can enhance existing work to generate new, actionable insights into the lives and experiences of children. From collection to communication, pioneering new methods and sources of data are intrinsic to the nature of the team’s work. 

To conclude, it is quite evident that smart demand, supply and use of data drives better results. When the right data are in the right hands at the right time, decisions can be better informed, more equitable and more likely to produce better results.