Strengthening CSOs’ data literacy skills for evidence-based decision-making

Open Development Cambodia (ODC) successfully conducted a two-day Data Literacy Training Workshop for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Phnom Penh on October 22–23, 2026. The workshop brought together 18 participants, including five women, from key partner organizations working to improve community livelihoods in Cambodia’s coastal areas. It also provided an opportunity for CSOs working across diverse sectors to strengthen their data literacy skills and enhance their capacity to use data effectively in their work.

Data literacy is essential for effective project management, accountability, and informed decision-making. However, organizations need practical skills to transform collected data into meaningful information that can guide their activities and respond to community needs. The workshop aimed to address these needs by equipping participants with the knowledge and practical skills required to clean, analyze, interpret, and communicate data effectively in their respective projects and initiatives.

The training focused on strengthening participants’ understanding of the data management process, with particular attention to the following areas:

• Data cleaning: Identifying and correcting errors and inconsistencies to improve data quality and reliability.
• Data organization: Structuring and preparing datasets for efficient management and analysis.
• Data analysis: Examining data to identify patterns, trends, and useful insights that support project implementation.
• Data interpretation: Understanding the meaning of data and translating findings into practical information for decision-making.
• Data visualization: Presenting data through clear and accessible visual formats to communicate findings effectively to stakeholders.

Through practical exercises and interactive learning activities, participants explored how to apply these skills. The hands-on approach enabled them to practice working with data, strengthen their understanding of key concepts, and learn how to draw meaningful conclusions from data to support their work.

The workshop emphasized the importance of integrating data literacy into different sectors and organizational contexts. For CSOs working to improve livelihoods in Cambodia’s coastal communities, the ability to analyze and interpret data can help identify community needs, monitor project progress, assess results, and design interventions that respond more effectively to local priorities.

Stronger data literacy skills can also help organizations communicate project outcomes more clearly, engage stakeholders more effectively, and strengthen transparency and accountability in development initiatives. By making better use of available evidence, CSOs can improve the quality of their decisions and ensure that their activities are guided by reliable information and community needs.

Importantly, the training went beyond theoretical concepts by incorporating hands-on activities that allowed participants to apply what they learned. These practical exercises helped reinforce key concepts and demonstrate how data management, analysis, and visualization can be used in real-world project settings.

The successful completion of the workshop marks another step toward strengthening CSOs’ capacity to apply data-driven approaches in project management and community development. With improved skills in data cleaning, organization, analysis, interpretation, and visualization, participating organizations are better equipped to generate actionable insights, communicate evidence, and support effective implementation of their projects and initiatives.

The training was organized under the Strengthening CSOs to Take Action on Economic Governance (SCAEG) project, co-funded by the European Union. Through this initiative, ODC continues to support civil society organizations in strengthening their capacities to use information and evidence to advance effective governance and sustainable development in Cambodia.