Civic Space Early Warning System
INSPIRES is testing how machine learning can help predict changes in civic space before they occur in select countries around the world. DevLab has created an enormous database and online tools to monitor news for events relevant to civic space and attempts by authoritarian regimes to influence civic space abroad, referred to as Resurgent Authoritarian Influence (RAI). Each month, we collect thousands of news articles posted online from international, regional, and domestic news sources. We use machine learning to read and classify each article according to 20 civic space event categories and 22 RAI event categories. Data scientists combine data on these events with high frequency economic data to forecast changes in civic space, including a ‘Civic Space Index’ that summarizes movement across many civic space events. You can learn more about this process in our Pipeline Report.
Civic Space Early Warning System (CSEWS) Launch Event
On February 9, 2023, the Machine Learning for Peace (MLP) project held a launch event for their new Civic Space Early Warning System (CSEWS). Following introductory remarks by Rosarie Tucci, the Director of USAID’s Center for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance, the MLP team introduces the CSEWS and provides an overview of recent research findings relevant to USAID’s work on democracy and governance around the world.
Evidence for Impact Webinar Series
On May 25, 2023, the Machine Learning for Peace (MLP) was featured in the Promise and Perils of Data Science for Development webinar as part of the Social Impact Evidence for Impact Webinar Series. The webinar discussed how data science can be used to improve development effectiveness. The presentation concluded with critical reflections from within USAID on the promise and pitfalls of using data science for development.