  Data has become a critical resource for organizations and society. Yet, it is
not always as valuable as it could be since there is no well-defined approach
to managing and using it. This article explores the increasing importance of
global data governance due to the rapid growth of data and the need for
responsible data use and protection. While historically associated with private
organizational governance, data governance has evolved to include governmental
and institutional bodies. However, the lack of a global consensus and
fragmentation in policies and practices pose challenges to the development of a
common framework. The purpose of this report is to compare approaches and
identify patterns in the emergent and fragmented data governance ecosystem
within sectors close to the international development field, ultimately
presenting key takeaways and reflections on when and why a global data
governance framework may be needed. Overall, the report highlights the need for
a more holistic, coordinated transnational approach to data governance to
manage the global flow of data responsibly and for the public interest. The
article begins by giving an overview of the current fragmented data governance
ecology, to then proceed to illustrate the methodology used. Subsequently, the
paper illustrates the most relevant findings stemming from the research. These
are organized according to six key elements: (a) purpose, (b) principles, (c)
anchoring documents, (d) data description and lifecycle, (e) processes, and (f)
practices. Finally, the article closes with a series of key takeaways and final
reflections.
