Mark McDowell
Country Representative
The Asia Foundation Myanmar
The effectiveness of governments depends greatly on the ability to share information across departments in a way that can inform targeted solutions to a range of complex problems impacting public welfare, particularly in urban environments. In Myanmar, the transition from paper-based to digital systems of data collection, storage, and analysis presents an historic opportunity for government agencies to shift from traditional silos toward a more collaborative model of problem solving and policymaking.
Since 2016 The Asia Foundation’s Urban Safety Project has worked in close collaboration with a range of township-level government agencies tasked with ensuring the safety and security of their communities. An important part of this work has sought to improve data usage, including the innovative use of spatial analysis to better understand local problems and enable more effective solutions.
The Asia Foundation recognizes the need for tech solutions to be developed through locally developed and owned initiatives, and is proud to have played a role in developing the Township GIS Tool, in partnership with government agencies, that can be used to respond to the problems that matter most to urban communities.