Data soldiers: Unsung heroes and ignored victims (Economic & Political Weekly)

Economic & Political Weekly published an op-ed by research fellow, Rasmi Avula. Avula writes, “Research in most cases begins with a quest to close a gap in the existing scientific literature, to inform a policy dialogue, and/or to inform programmatic decisions. Investigators identify a topic for research and set the research process in motion. Regardless of the type of research, data is the crux of research. The credibility of the research and the researchers depends on the quality of their data.” She explains, “I have been training data collectors for nearly 10 years, predominantly in India and for some time in Bangladesh. Having accompanied them to remote places for data collection, in India and Bangladesh, I have seen how prolonged exposure to such uncomfortable work conditions puts their health at risk. How can I claim to be doing research to alleviate poverty, hunger, and inequity and not care for those who provide the basis for such research? While a lot has been written about migrant workers and loss of livelihoods, what about our data collectors? Did they not lose work? These are educated and specialized workers. Where do they fit in? They are not unskilled but are hired on daily wages. What is their future in a world that is fast learning to do everything online and remotely? It is time the research community recognized these “data soldiers” and prioritized their well-being.