Appeal for an urgent national data literacy campaign

 

Appeal to policymakers to initiate a sustainable cultural change for our handling of data

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Let us work together to improve data literacy! Especially in this current coronavirus pandemic, problems concerning the lack of data literacy have come to light in many facets.

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• What do positive test numbers really say?

• How do we collect these data in a meaningful way?

• Can we compare data from regions and countries without limitations?

• How do we interpret those correctly?

• How much trust do we place in the data?

• What do we do with these data and who has access to them?
   

Answering these questions shows the complexity behind a bare number. To deal with data in a meaningful way, we urgently need a new, socially broadly anchored and sustainably lived national data culture.

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This has led representatives of the medical profession in Switzerland (KKA) and renowned statisticians to jointly launch an appeal at Swiss and international level for improvement of data literacy, which is particularly indispensable in this digital age. However, the appeal goes far beyond the current epidemic and health-related problems. Data literacy is now needed on a daily basis for many personal and social decisions, unfortunately often, without us really being aware of that.

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The joint appeal (of 24.07.2020) invites all interested organisations and associations, but especially the general public, to support this appeal.

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Today, well-founded social data literacy is, just like reading and writing, crucial for the preservation of the fundamental values in our democratic society, such as freedom, equality, the right to participate and participation. With the launch of this appeal, doctors and statisticians exercise their social responsibility in this regard.

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Each signature or support helps to anchor and implement the vital topic of promoting social data literacy in the political agenda in a lasting manner.

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For this purpose, an interpellation to the Federal Council was submitted to the Council of States on 29 September 2020 (Interpellation 20.4173). Another motion was adopted in the National Council on May 11, 2022, with almost 75% of the votes in favor (Motion 22.3016). 

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Thank you for your support!