We are honored to spotlight ICAAD’s Data Analyst, Jyoti Diwan. Originally from India, Jyoti is currently based out of New York. She has an MBA with specialization in finance. In her 10+ years of experience with hedge funds, e-commerce and technology start ups, and nonprofits, the one thing that has been consistent is data and numbers. She loves telling stories through data and her experience with various nonprofits has given a whole new dimension to her story-telling. She is also a mum of an inquisitive 7 year old whose questions open up new ways of seeing the world.
As a data analyst with ICAAD, my primary responsibility is to provide data based evidence for strategic decision making. Currently I am working with 20 years of case analysis data to examine the scope of gender-based violence against women and girls in the Pacific Island Region for the TrackGBV program. The objective is to ultimately provide in-depth analyses of the impact of gender bias and stereotyping on judicial decisions in violence against women in this region.
Another important initiative I work on is TrackSDGs. It is focused on systems-level analysis for both private and public sector stakeholders interested in sustainable development, of which economic, social, and governance (ESG) factors are a key component. It delivers data that is often difficult to assess (human rights, gender equality, labor rights, etc.) by leveraging insights from the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and mapping them to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Motherhood is what motivates me. Though I am new to the field of human rights advocacy, like any other parent, I want to provide the best for my son and leave the world a better place for him and his generation. I also understand the privilege I have in terms of the means to do meaningful work that has a positive impact on the lives of not just my family but also those who are marginalized by society more broadly.
What is an important lesson that you’d like to share with other human rights advocates?
One important lesson I have learned is that data and data analysis play a big role in human rights advocacy. I’m reminded of a quote from the Tableau Foundation Summit. A participant from Equal Measures 2030 quoted a survey respondent from Dhaka who shared, “Stories moved me but data changed me.”
We need to place more importance on the process of documenting data itself in order to be able to present a more impactful analysis of the extent of human rights violations and to be able to persuade people to change. Information provides the necessary credibility that also helps bring people together.
