In complex programmes, the data needed to deliver outcomes is often held across multiple organisations. Some of it may be sensitive, commercially restricted, or otherwise not suitable for full release under an open licence. It still needs to be shared responsibly – and used well.
A Responsible Data Sharing Framework (RDSF) is a practical way to set shared expectations around how data will be shared, used and safeguarded when responsibilities are distributed. It sets out:
- what data will be shared
- for what purpose
- between which actors
- under what principles and safeguards
An RDSF helps to bring clarity on purpose, roles, access and protection – so that data sharing is workable in practice, even when data cannot be made fully open.
This approach was developed through the Distributed Access to Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) programme – in collaboration with the World Bank and Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency. It was co-designed with 25+ stakeholders across public and private actors in the distributed renewable energy sector, then tested and refined through delivery.