What is the tinder that can spark widespread social movements that shift power from the few to the many?

At a cultural moment when we see brazen disregard for ethics and simple morality, we support a turning tide composed of those that care. Recent movements like #MeToo, #PasMoi, the refugee crises, and #BlackLivesMatter have explosively bared widespread discrimination and glaring inequalities. Similarly, across the world, labor rights, resource conservation, or hunger are also rooted in the soil of inequality.

Does the sustainable development community have something to learn from these movements to reduce the asymmetry of power, rampant greed, and abuses that are at the core of development challenges?

One common denominator that turns tides and catalyzes these shifts is the transparent access to luminant knowledge.

At COSA, we believe that the right knowledge, at the right time, can be empowering. Transparency not only reduces risks, it also creates the potential for wiser choices and much needed accountability.

I want to share with you some innovative approaches to achieve more equitable development. It is its own sort of social movement, one that uses technology, credible data, and smart metrics to improve conditions and give farmers and rural communities a voice. Whether with our POD technology, innovations to drive Efficiency in Government, pragmatic Resilience, or simply the Art of Listening, our team curated some insights and news for you in the March 2018 newsletter.