Data Radicals

Using Data to Fight for Human Rights with Tarak Shah, Data Scientist, Human Rights Data Analysis Group

Aug 31, 2022

37:10

While analysts in other fields face an ocean of data, those in social justice often face a desert. After all, those who abuse their power take care to conceal their crimes. How can data scientists hold the guilty accountable?

Today's guest has used data to uncover hidden human rights violations and uphold social justice. Tarak Shah is a Data Scientist at the Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG), a RAFTO award-winning non-profit. In this episode, he reveals how his work has exposed the crimes of violent dictators and police – delivering justice to the violated and a chance to heal the communities affected.

--------

“In human rights, the question when we're talking about accountability is about what actually happened, not just what was documented.” — Tarak Shah

--------

Time Stamps

* (0:00) Navigating a lack of data

* (2:46) Analyzing human rights violations in Guatemala

* (11:45) How data solved a murder mystery

* (14:02) Data’s insights into gender-based violence in Chicago

* (34:33) How you can help preserve human rights with data

--------

Sponsor

This podcast is presented by Alation.