Data Equality – Research and Projects

On 28 March, the First Policy Event of the European DATA EQUALITY project to prevent and combat intersectional data discrimination was held in an online format. This activity aimed to present the most relevant insights from the Needs Assessment activities, as well as to discuss possible solutions based on the Technical Roadmap elaborated on the evaluation of existing AI solutions for predictive justice and for pre-existing OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) platforms to be free of bias in collecting and processing data.

The meeting was attended by researchers from the Euro-Arab Foundation, Rascha Albaba Acosta, Jose Luis Salido Medina and Paula Cano Cruz. The latter was in charge of presenting the results of the Needs Assessment, a task led by the Foundation, which aims to illustrate the roadmap and innovative ideas for data collection and elaboration through AI-based tools, involving stakeholders such as Judicial Authorities, LEAs (Law Enforcement Agencies), technology companies, research centres and representatives of CSOs (Civil Society Organisations).

The results of the Needs Assessment, gathered through desk research activities, a survey and semi-structured interviews, have highlighted the gap in both the public and private sectors in the collection, management and analysis of discrimination data, including the lack of knowledge on the general issue of data-based discrimination.

DATA EQUALITY, a European project that seeks to join forces to combat data-based discrimination, was launched at an online event on 20 September. The Euro-Arab Foundation, together with the Court of Appeal of Venice (coordinator of the project), the Agenfor International Foundation, the Municipality of Murcia, Kentro Merimnas Oikogeneaias Kai Paidiou, Hellenic Police, Keshilli i Larte i Prokurorise, Associazione Nazionale Comuni Italiani Emilia Romagna and Kentro Meleton Asfaleias, will develop a common methodology that will allow different actors to cooperate in the identification and prevention of this problem.

The project targets professionals active in the collection, analysis, use and dissemination of data belonging to the two macro-sectors on which the project focuses: public authorities, in particular local law enforcement agencies and judicial bodies, and civil society organisations (CSOs).

The project will train law enforcement officials, judicial bodies as well as members of CSOs in the use of the new methodology, including its impartial OSINT component and in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. The students will come from the countries participating in the project: Greece, Italy, Spain and Albania.

The role of the Euro-Arab Foundation

The Euro-Arab Foundation will undertake the task of comprehensively assessing the current methodologies employed in the collection, management, analysis and dissemination of discrimination-related data. The aim is to identify the main shortcomings, omissions and existing demands, as well as best practices to be incorporated into a new methodology. It will also explore the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence and open source tools (OSINT) to detect inherent biases in data.

This will require cooperation between public and private bodies, in particular between CSOs and local and judicial authorities, as well as surveys and interviews with law enforcement and judicial professionals and civil society organisations to understand their perspectives, needs and challenges in relation to data collection, management, analysis and sharing.