Open Data for Development Phase II creates the authorization for capacity building support to develop and manage the program. Working together with developing countries to harness open data to enhance accountability, create new solutions for the delivery of public services, and create new economic opportunities around the world, Open Data for Development (OD4D) is a global partnership, hosted at the International Development Research Centre. The vision of the OD4D partnership is to harness open data to empower women and men around the world to achieve their own development goals, and to actively participate in decisions affecting their lives. Although OD4D has made strides in supporting open data capacities and solutions in Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe as well as Eastern and Southern Africa, opportunities for open data to make a difference in Francophone Africa remain scarce. The new phase of the program aims to extend OD4D's efforts into Francophone Africa, through institutional and individual capacity building, networking, policy support, research and innovation seeding. It will also expand the collaboration with the Open Government Partnership building on Canadian co-chairmanship, focusing on a Feminist Open Government initiative. As part of the agreement with Hewlett Foundation, IDRC will provide additional support to the initial phase of an open data regional hub and work with the OD4D Network to harness open data to positively impact the lives of marginalized populations, notably focusing on women and girls.Project Objectives  Project General Objectives:  This project seeks to provide capacity building support for the development and implementation of the second phase of the Open Data for Development (OD4D) research program,Project Specific Objectives:  The principal objectives of the OD4D program are:• To help developing country governments, entrepreneurs, and civil society deliver on a global action plan to harness open data for development,• To support developing country governments to plan, execute, and manage national open data initiatives,• To increase re-use of open data in developing countries by supporting appropriate data standards, guidelines, solution-driven applications, and demand-side capacity, helping to bring about social and economic innovation,• To better understand the relationship between open data initiatives and socioeconomic development, informing the quality and reach of future open data initiatives, and• To build the capacity and long-term sustainability of regional hubs.