I wonder if HIFA would be a suitable member of the UN World Data Forum Committee planning the November 9th to 12th of November UNWDF? I,and colleagues, joined the 2023 UNWDF in Hangzhou, China. I have pasted the theme of our successful submission below:
Q2 Proposal relevance to the UNWDF Thematic Areas (Select only ONE option)
1. ( )TA1 - Innovation and partnerships for better and more inclusive data
2. (X)TA2 - Maximizing the use and value of data for better decision making
3. ( )TA3 - Building trust and ethics in data
4. ( )TA4 - Emerging trends and partnerships to develop the data ecosystem
Q3 Proposal title “Inclusion of the citizen, children, families, disabled persons and primary care team in the world data cycle and asking the UN to support a global personal health data processing standard”
The diverse group of organizations supporting this submission have common communications through HIFA www.hifa.org and through Dr Richard Fitton. The session will be chaired in person with some live and some virtual and some recorded presentations. The main themes will be the citizen as part of the data processing systems of personal health data, the collection of health data in diverse health communities in three continents and most importantly a proposal for a UN supported emergent global standard for personal health data processing.
All presenters are experienced data processors in the health service arena and three presentations will be from named patients - Oliver Crowton, Cheryl Ashton and Edna Davies who will present virtually through recordings. From Russia we will discuss data that are required for early intervention (assistance) to children with developmental delays and disorders and the collection of data to evaluate the rehabilitation systems in Russian regions, indicators and trends from 2018.
From the UK we will present Working with patients and clinicians to build trust and better use of data
From Ghana we will present training more primary health workers- to collect, analyse, understand, process and utilise data in delivering Primary Health Care Services.
From Cameroon we will present Science-policy-data interface for responding to COVID-19 in Sub-Sahara Africa
From India we will present Stakeholder participation/ patient values and involvement in data processing and dissemination
From the UK we will present the case for a UN supported global personal health data processing standard for governments, public and private corporations, health service providers, tech companies, proxy citizens and citizens.
I will draft a possible application for consideration and editing before midnight on the 16th of June.
(The introductory welcomes to the forum were by President Xi Ping of China and Anthony Guturres DG of the UN. No pressure!)
Applications to make up part of the committee need to be submitted by midnight EDT on 16th June. I have pasted the details below HLG-PCCB — SDG Indicators
HLG-PCCB
United Nations World Data Forum Programme Committee 2025-26: Call for Applications from data and statistics communities
________________________________________
Background
The United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) is pleased to announce the opening of the call for the establishment of the Programme Committee for the next UN World Data Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between 9 and 12 November 2026. The Programme Committee will be established and operate in accordance with its established Terms of Reference and drawn from a range of expertise: governments, civil society and non-governmental organisations, the private sector, donor and philanthropic foundations, international and regional agencies, national geospatial information authorities, the media, academia and professional organisations, and other communities with an interest in data and statistics.
The High-level Group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building for statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLG-PCCB) has decided to launch an open call for expressions of interest from communities with experience in data and statistics for sustainable development to become members of the Programme Committee. This is a unique opportunity to contribute directly to a global event with more than 20,000 interested stakeholders who are focused on the role of data and statistics in the achievement of sustainable development. The Programme Committee reports its progress to the HLG-PCCB.
UNSD provides the secretariat support to the Programme Committee.
Roles and Responsibilities
Members of the Programme Committee will:
• Actively participate in monthly one-hour virtual meetings of the Programme Committee by reviewing documents ahead of meetings and taking part in planning discussions during meetings.
• Collaborate with other Programme Committee members in the design of a programme which showcases innovative perspectives, inclusive approaches and the technological advantages or ideas of using data and statistics to achieve sustainable development.
• Respect the decisions made by the co-chairs of the HLG-PCCB and the co-chairs of the Programme Committee.
• Contribute to drafting the thematic areas, topic lists, organizing the high-level plenary sessions, including speakers, and review and shortlist proposals for the parallel programme as outlined in the Programme Committee's Terms of Reference as well as other potential endeavors such webinars, blogs, etc. to publicise the Forum;
• Be able to commit time to participate in the Forum which will be held in person in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between 9 and 12 November 2026 and contribute to other Programme Committee'’'s activities.
• Participation in the Programme Committee is pro-bono and on a personal basis. Travel expenses may be reimbursed, subject to the availability of budgetary allocations for the Programme Committee and in accordance with United Nations policies and regulations.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must:
• Be active members of a community (collective groups of individuals, or from relevant organizations 1) actively engaged in issues relevant to data and statistics.
• Demonstrate experience in understanding and addressing the challenges and opportunities of data and statistics from a user or producer perspective.
• Have a proven track record of contributions to community initiatives related to data and statistics issues.
• Have some previous experience with multi-stakeholder processes.
• Make a time commitment to cover the cycle of preparing the programme, for example 1-2 hours a month outside the programme review period (September - January), 2-3 hours a month during the review period (February - May) and again 1-2 hours a month in the lead up to and including attending the Forum between 9 and 12 November 2026.
Expressions of interest
Interested candidates should submit their application to serve on the Programme Committee via email to dataforum@un.org with a single document attachment of MAXIMUM of 2 pages with the following information:
1. Statement of motivation (cover letter): explain your motivation for joining the Programme Committee and how your experience aligns with its objectives.
2. Brief biography (curriculum vitae): State your professional qualifications, areas of expertise, relevant experience, and your service on any relevant boards and committees
3. Community and network further background (endorsement letter): provide evidence of support from a community or network including the areas of specialization that you cover.
Submission
All interested candidates must submit their expression of interest with a 2-page document to dataforum@un.org with the subject line: "Nominations for the UNWDF 2025-6 Programme Committee" by 16 June 2025 (EDT, midnight)
HIFA profile: Richard Fitton is a retired family doctor - GP. Professional interests: Health literacy, patient partnership of trust and implementation of healthcare with professionals, family and public involvement in the prevention of modern lifestyle diseases, patients using access to professional records to overcome confidentiality barriers to care, patients as part of the policing of the use of their patient data Email address: richardpeterfitton7 AT gmail.com