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Data Governance — LIRNEasia

The ‘Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia’ project currently being implemented by LIRNEasia is focused on the data policy ecosystems in South and Southeast Asia taking into account both formal and informal policy and practice. The project also aims to expend the community of practice of Asian Data for Development practitioners, and enhance the capacity of actors to participate in policy making processes and evidence-based policy influence related to data.

Documents

  • Gayani Hurulle at UNESCAP workshop on Cross-Border Data Sharing for Digital Public Service Innovation

    Gayani Hurulle (Senior Research Manager, LIRNEasia) was invited to conduct a session on the current state and challenges associated with cross-border data sharing at a regional capacity-building workshop on ‘Cross-Border Data Sharing for Digital Public Service Innovation’. This workshop, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), Republic of Korea, was held on 18 December 2025 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The workshop, whose participants included representatives of governments in Southeast and Central Asia, the private sector, and international experts, aimed to advance dialogue on secure, efficient, and mutually beneficial cross-border data sharing to strengthen digital public services in the Asia-Pacific region. The workshop highlighted ongoing efforts under ESCAP’s Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway (APIS) initiative, including the pilot project ‘Advancing the Cross-Border Data Sharing Platform in Pilot Countries with a Focus on Digital Public Service’, implemented in collaboration with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Gayani’s presentation focused on the need to balance operational considerations that encourage greater cross-border data sharing, including cost and efficiency factors, with concerns related to sovereignty, privacy, cybersecurity, and competition, which often underpin arguments for restricting data flows. Drawing on LIRNEasia’s research […]

  • LIRNEasia shares insights on how data-driven approaches can support democratic development at SATRC-26

    The 26th Meeting of the South Asian Telecommunications Regulators’ Council (SATRC-26) was held from 5–7 November 2025 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Muhammad Aslam Hayat, Senior Policy Fellow at LIRNEasia and Pakistan country researcher, presented key findings from the Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia (D4D Asia) project during the session on “Sharing Best Practices and Regulatory Experiences by SATRC Members and Industry.”

  • Indonesia Report Launch and Policy Dialogue on Data Governance

    The Indonesia Report launch and policy dialogue on “Indonesia’s Strategy for Safeguarding Cross-Border Personal Data Transfers to the United States Without Compromising Sovereignty or Data Protection” took place on 28 October 2025 at Hotel Ashley, Wahid Hasyim, Central Jakarta. The event was organized by LIRNEasia, together with Northbound Strategies (Indonesia), with funding support from the International Development Research Centre (a Crown corporation of the Government of Canada). This timely discussion brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers to examine how Indonesia can enable cross-border data flows while maintaining the principles of digital sovereignty and compliance with the Personal Data Protection (PDP) Law. The event was conducted in both English and Bahasa Indonesia to ensure inclusive participation. The dialogue opened with a keynote address by Alfreno K. Ramadhan, Special Staff to the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) of the Republic of Indonesia. This was followed by presentations from Pranesh Prakash (LIRNEasia) and Ibrahim K. Rohman, PhD (University of Indonesia), who shared insights from national and regional research on cross-border data governance. A high-level panel discussion featured Hendri Samita Yuda (Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, Indonesia), Brigitta Ratih E. Aryanti (Mastercard Indonesia), Ardhanti Nurwidya (Vriens & Partners), and Bhredipta Socarana (Centre […]

  • Untangling Data Governance – Sri Lanka’s Way Forward

    “Untangling Data Governance – Sri Lanka’s Way Forward” was held on 13 November 2024 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The event formed part of the Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia (D4D Asia) project, with funding support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), a Crown corporation of the Government of Canada.

  • Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: Sri Lanka Country Report

    This report on data governance in Sri Lanka is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices. This report is also part of a broader comparative effort that includes case studies from India, Indonesia, Nepal, South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines. The report provides contextual information about Sri Lanka’s constitutional and governance framework and discusses laws and policies that promote openness or access to data, as well as those that facilitate interoperability or cross-border data transfers. It also examines the opposite; laws, policies, and practices that restrict openness or access to data. The report emphasizes the significance of data governance in shaping Sri Lanka’s digital future. While some progress has been made through recent laws and policies, much remains to be done. Institutional capacity constraints, conflicting regulations, and gaps in implementation continue to hinder the establishment of a cohesive data governance framework. The Sri Lanka Country Report can be found below.

  • LIRNEasia’s Comments on the Online Safety Act and Amendments

    In August 2025, the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration issued a public notice calling on all stakeholders to submit observations, comments, recommendations, and suggestions on amending the Online Safety Act, No. 09 of 2024, and the proposed amendments gazetted on July 31, 2024. In response, LIRNEasia submitted following comments, drafted by Professor Rohan Samarajiva, Founder and Chair of LIRNEasia. The comments emphasize that the framers of the Act had failed to grasp the unique and novel characteristics of social media, particularly in relation to the viral dissemination of content, limitations on freedom of expression, the vagueness of several offences defined under the Act, and the importance of aligning with existing laws where possible.

  • Forum on Data Governance in the Philippines Highlights Pathways to Inclusive Data Governance

    The Forum on Data Governance in the Philippines was held on Friday, September 12, 2025, at Serenade II, Westin Manila. The event highlighted how data can drive development and serve as an effective policy-making instrument for advancing democratic and inclusive governance in the Philippines. The forum was organized by LIRNEasia in collaboration with Disini Law (Philippines) and Digital Freedom Network (Philippines), with funding support from the International Development Research Centre (a Crown corporation of the Government of Canada). It brought together experts from government agencies, academia, and the private sector to share perspectives and experiences on data policymaking and governance frameworks. Discussions centered on two recent publications under the Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia initiative: the Philippines Country Report and the Regional Synthesis Report. These reports examine the tensions that arise in governing data, particularly the balance between using data to advance development and growth objectives and the equally important task of protecting privacy and upholding human rights. Researchers from LIRNEasia and partner institutions analyzed how such tensions manifest and are addressed across seven countries—Thailand, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Oliver Xavier Reyes, a member of the Philippine Bar since 2002 and former […]

  • Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: Philippines Country Report

    This report is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) initiative, which critically examines how data governance is evolving across the region, including both formal frameworks and informal norms. In the Philippines, the absence of a comprehensively organized legal or policy framework has resulted in a patchwork of approaches shaped by sector-specific laws, presidential directives, and administrative regulations. In recent decades, policies have emerged in response to growing data use, such as updates to intellectual property laws aligned with international practices and the enactment of personal data protection legislation addressing cross-border data processing. Despite recent developments, the Philippines still lacks a unified data governance framework. The only broad measure is the 2016 presidential ordinance on public access to government data. Other rules remain fragmented, addressing specific types of data such as personal information or credit data. This study will examine the range of statutes, executive orders, and agency regulations that govern how data is managed and transferred across both public and private sectors. This report is part of a broader comparative effort that includes case studies from India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Korea, and Thailand. The Philippines’ experience highlights the challenges of […]

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