Inclusive and future-smart public goods and services
SignatureSolution 2 - Governance
Introduction
In the digital age, traditional service delivery methods are no longer sufficient. As a result, adapting public sectors to 21st century digital landscapes has become a priority for governments. The COVID-19 response has demonstrated the potential to deliver services faster and to more people than ever before through digital means. However, it has also exposed uneven capacities in the public sector, from infrastructure to skills, and risks widening existing inequalities, leaving some people even further behind, especially those who are unconnected, lack access to digital tools and devices, or do not possess digital literacy to navigate new ways of doing things.
UNDP has increased efforts to help strengthen and transform countries’ capacity to provide public services and goods amidst rapid yet uneven digitalization. UNDP also supports the development of enabling legal and policy frameworks and governance systems that reflect key development principles, such as protection, effectiveness, inclusion, participation and accountability.
At the policy level, our approach focuses on better understanding public service delivery gaps and tailoring approaches accordingly. This includes, for example, improving the delivery of and access to public goods and services leveraging digital legal identity, and reviewing public sector capacities to ensure alignment with the development of digital strategies.
UNDP’s governance work, including through the Governance for People and Planet Programme1, focuses on supporting digital tools and strategies which will enhance the effectiveness, inclusion and accountability of governance arrangements, including through enhancing people's participation in public decision-making processes.2 This includes work to address corruption, a key challenge which appropriate use of digitalization can often help to address. Efforts explore best-fit solutions built on UNDP Digital Standards such as interoperability, whether they take the form of open-source programs, such as those on the Digital Public Goods Alliance’s registry, government-led in-house software solutions, or relevant proprietary solutions.
Inclusive and future-smart public goods and services advance the pledge to leave no one behind. Leaving no one behind requires addressing demographic shifts, societal changes, inter-generational equity, and the inclusion of marginalised groups, including women, youth, LGBTI+ people, the elderly, persons with disabilities and indigenous people. The goal is to further support public institutions and non-state actors in planning and delivering public services in an inclusive and transparent manner.
Key messages
Digital technologies are transforming economies and societies worldwide, influencing social and political behaviour and transforming public institutions and how people interact with them, and one another. Digital technologies are also impacting the exercise of rights, changing the way public sectors function and influencing public perceptions of their functioning.
Governments face increasing pressure to be more effective and efficient and deliver services fairly. Therefore, they are exploring new technologies and approaches that suit their unique contexts and adapting their methods to meet the demands of increasingly digital constituencies. Many, however, are “playing catch up” due to uneven capacities and resources, trying to improve internal operations, public machinery and administration whilst learning to handle the implications of increasingly digital, networked societies.
UNDP is well positioned to support anticipatory, agile and adaptive (or 'Triple A') governance capacities to build ecosystems for inclusive, future-smart public goods and services.
Digital development planned and deployed in silos limits the opportunities to build digital public infrastructure (DPI) necessary for countries' digital transformation and long-term progress. To fully leverage investments and deliver impact, digitalization needs to be incorporated into coherent, coordinated and contextual development of interoperability frameworks (technical as well as institutional) that enable data and information sharing across vertical and horizontal lines of government (across Ministries as well as from the national to the local level), the co-creation of services and efficient service delivery across the public sector.
Adopting DPI approaches is necessary across public institutions, and it is also possible between public and private organisations, where it can increase productivity and enable new forms of public-private partnerships (PPPs). As a wide variety of digital technologies and tools are available, such as custom-developed software, commercial off-the-shelf software or community-supported open-source software, governments need to have adequate capacity to select the digital solutions that best fit their needs, capacity, and development pathway.
For a country to be able to offer people-centric, inclusive, and future-smart public goods and services, it requires political will, a unifying vision, bold leadership and a clear sense of purpose that can bring together all levels of government.
UNDP's efforts in this area focus on leveraging digital tools, data, and mechanisms across the range of governance programming to:
Enhance the transparency and accountability of public institutions.
Support public sector transformation.
Support the empowerment of communities and build mechanisms to enhance their engagement in the public sphere.
Support the appropriate use of digital technologies to strengthen democratic processes and institutions.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the pace of digitalization with digital tools and platforms proving crucial for the functioning of public and private institutions, the delivery of goods and services and the fight against the pandemic itself.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted the digital divide that accompanies or is a new dimension of persistent inequality. Often, the offline challenges of poor and marginalised people extend online – connectivity in underserved areas remains weak or absent, or often unaffordable when available. The cost of digital (“smart”) devices and lack of digital skills and literacy also hamper marginalised groups the most (with the constraints more pronounced among women globally). Therefore, the digitalization of public goods and services needs to be anchored in the contexts of the people they need to reach, mindful of the constraints of those “at the last mile.”
An inclusive and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic requires addressing the offline-online barriers to effective and equitable public goods and service delivery. This includes addressing the digital divide as a risk to the realization of the more equal world envisaged in the 2030 Agenda. This also requires building digital foundations for resilient public systems, businesses and communities, supply chains and engagement spaces and, through that, building future-ready societies and economies.
Opportunities and risks
This segment outlines the society-level opportunities and risks associated with digitalization in the context of inclusive and future-smart public goods and services. These should be used as a basis for forming programme-level theories of change and providing inspiration to programme teams on how digitalization can support or undermine their activities.
Service centres and robust grievance redressal mechanisms such as national helplines can bridge connectivity gaps and the needs of marginalised populations and help bridge the digital divide: Some digital services can be delivered through a combination of traditional and new media. Service centres can help connect those in remote areas or those unable to afford connectivity. Skilled operators and public helplines can provide support according to local needs and capacities, e.g., help those without digital skills or digital devices to access digital services. This approach can help bridge the digital divide and help ensure no one is left behind as countries pursue digitalization.
Digital public infrastructure can reduce digital divides and prevent practices that hamper service delivery: The use of public networks and platforms, such as public wi-fi or hotspots, open libraries, government-funded satellites, etc., are particularly helpful in underserved areas and crucial in response and recovery efforts when disasters hit.
Context-sensitive digital infrastructure and innovations can expand and deepen financial inclusion: The strategic use of mobile phones or simple feature phones has helped to enhance traditional financial transactions and services, e.g., mobile cash, mobile payments, etc. When strategies are anchored in the context of local communities and digital standards such as interoperability, they can enable the development and capture of digital footprints, which can help establish credit history and access to other financial services such as loans and insurance.
The digitalization of public goods and services has distinct dimensions in urban settings and at the local level: Thispresents opportunities for enhancing multilevel governance and coordinated service delivery, helping to build more inclusive communities and economies:
Cities, being at the frontline of governance, have been instrumental in adopting digital technologies to enhance the efficiency of urban systems, improve residents' quality of life, and bolster their urban economies. The role of cities in this digital age is pivotal, not just because of their proximity to the populace but due to their capacity to innovate, provide feedback, and influence national decisions, especially when regulations are typically set at a broader national scale.
A crucial part of this digital transformation in cities is the enhancement of intricate urban frameworks, like power and transport networks, water, and waste management. This advancement is made possible partly by interconnected hardware systems. Additionally, digitalisation has the power to improve urban governance, fostering public involvement through state-of-the-art ICT-driven platforms.
Enhancement of service efficiency: Technological advancements are instrumental in enhancing the efficiency of existing services. Digitalization is simplifying government processes, making them more streamlined and effective. As tasks that once required laborious manual effort are automated, resources can be allocated more efficiently, resulting in time and cost savings while improving service quality and speed.
Equity in service delivery: Digital technology has also enabled the improvement of equity in service delivery. The integration of services with digital IDs and civil registries, with clear use consent and robust privacy rules, ensures that welfare benefits are accurately disbursed, improving targeting and ensuring the right individuals receive the support they need. This improved accuracy helps protect the most vulnerable members of society, promoting fairness and social justice.
Expanding service reach: Technology is expanding the reach of public services by removing the need for physical commutes or visits to multiple offices. Coordinated and interoperable digital delivery means that services can be accessed from anywhere online, at any time, reducing geographical and time constraints, or from digital centres in the communities. This not only improves convenience for users but also extends services to remote or hard-to-reach populations, making public services truly universal.
Enhanced governance and service management: Digitalization also contributes to improved management and governance of public services. Digital platforms bring unparalleled transparency into government workflows, helping curb fraud and enabling the transition from cash payments to more secure digital transactions. These capabilities facilitate effective monitoring and auditing, fostering integrity and trust in public services.
Robust complaint and redressal mechanisms: The advent of technology has revolutionized complaint mechanisms around services. Platforms that offer online and offline (e.g. SMS) support have made the process of lodging complaints or feedback simpler, more user-friendly and efficient. These instantaneous modes of communication support accountability and responsiveness, facilitating better public service delivery.
Enabling digital innovation in the private sector: The digital landscape facilitates both private and public sectors in fostering competition and innovation for better service delivery. By adopting shared open protocols, standards, and APIs, coupled with robust data protection measures, sectors can access and utilise critical information to enhance services. For example, access to land registry data might be beneficial for insurance companies, while tax information can aid banks in offering loans. Such digital integrations, when appropriate guardrails are in place, not only foster business opportunities but also augment customer convenience and choice.
Lack of proof of legal identity can limit people's access to digital services: Without legal identity, people often cannot access or claim the provision of public and/or private goods and services. This can include access to health care services, e.g., vaccinations, education, social protection, the ability to vote, opening a bank account, buying or inheriting property, purchasing a SIM card, etc. This is the same for services provided in the digital space, and therefore, providing legal identity for all is critical to ensure universal access to public and private services.
Lack of choice in identifying oneself with physical documents: When digitalizing legal identification systems, governments need to ensure that public services remain accessible to people who do not have access to, or choose not to have, a digital proof of legal identity. It is important to maintain the option of using non-digital forms of identification to access critical services.
Siloed approaches to digital development can increase cost, scaling inefficiencies and increasing the burden on the public: The adoption of systems across Ministries and levels that do not connect, the digitalization of bad practices and processes in the rush to deploy e-services, the lack of harmonisation in use and management of data and frameworks and weak or absent support to new users can hamper the positive impact of digitalization.
Digitalizing governments' systems can increase public surveillance: Governments with digitalised and interoperable systems enhance their ability to collect personal data and information from different functional registries, which raises concerns around loss of privacy, misuse of data and information and the increased surveillance capability of governments.
Lack of digital governance can widen inequalities: Digital transformation often outpaces states' capacity to govern both new technologies and the processes of transformation they introduce. Such a situation brings new challenges for states which need to develop appropriate governance frameworks, e.g., for digital sovereignty and the governance of data protection.
AI decision-making can discriminate against communities left behind: AI has and will have a huge role to play in society in the coming decades. As the use of AI increases, it also becomes more apparent that AI can propagate biases, raising risks of decisions that may benefit only some segments of society. Algorithms may inherently contain biases due to their design. For example, an algorithm used for public goods and service delivery that has not factored in the lower availability of data from marginalised communities may be biased against certain demographics, resulting in discriminatory practices against these same communities. Bias can also arise from the selection of features, weightings, or parameters in the AI model, which may reflect societal prejudices and discriminatory practices.
Digital monopolies eroding market competition: Digital monopolies are very different to other monopolies. The digital applications used to access goods and services are often owned by a handful of private sector digital monopolies, which therefore control vast amounts of data (individual, societal, economic, etc.), considered as the “oil” of the digital era, with no public accountability. This gives monopolies an unprecedented level of power, including the power to outcompete smaller businesses in non-digital spaces.
Adverse digital incorporation: Ensuring digital inclusion, although necessary, is not sufficient. Social exclusion in the e-society occurs in multiple dimensions and happens not only through a lack of technology usage. Exclusion-based discussions and analyses need to move beyond the simple ‘haves' vs. ‘have nots' related to technology access. The core concept of ‘adverse digital incorporation' suggests that when everyone is included in a digital system, more powerful groups might take more than their fair share from those with less power. To avoid this, we need to be careful about how we introduce digital methods and make sure that everyone has a fair say when decisions are made on how to use digital tools in public goods and service delivery.
Lack of digital skills and capacities in a government or public administration that is not ready for the digital systems being developed and deployed can hamper sustainability and put at risk the long-term vision around public goods and services: When the country's core infrastructure for governance, operations and service delivery is digitalized, it is critical to have ready capacity to manage and maintain that infrastructure, from back-end IT to front-end public administration and frontline officials. This may require digital development alongside the development of appropriate skills in a cadre of future public servants (public administration incorporating the appropriate training; schools with curriculums in step with the evolution of countries' digital landscapes, etc.).
Programming suggestions
The delivery of inclusive and future-smart public goods and services encompasses a broad array of programmatic approaches, project decisions and capacity-strengthening goals, which will vary according to context. Here, we highlight areas with particular relevance to a whole-of-society approach to this issue. We recommend that you explore the Digital Compass in order to consider how those in contexts similar to your own have approached these issues.
Leadership and strategy
This section focuses on high-level political mandate and clear responsibilities. The following are broad suggestions:
Guide governments to rethink how they can use technology to strengthen people-centric public institutions:
Help governments identify and understand the different approaches to the digitalization of public goods and services in the context of their multilevel (national to local) capacities and priorities.
Support the development of strategies that will help governments build public administration fit for the digital future they envision. Help public institutions create inclusive Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) with technology platforms that can deliver large-scale, cost-effective, citizen-centric solutions to public service challenges.
Support governments in identifying changing landscapes and developing capacities in systemic thinking and inter-organisational cooperation. This can be achieved by drawing lessons from the UNDP Accelerator Labs, Digital Pilots, Anticipatory, Agile and Adaptive (Triple A) governance approaches or by adopting a “sensemaking” portfolio approach developed by the UNDP Strategic Innovation Unit.
Align digital transformation initiatives with national development aspirations and targets, including the SDGs.
Provide accessible information related to digital public goods and services:
Maintain intuitive access points for information related to public goods and services (e.g. centralized government portals and mobile apps, SMS-based information systems), minimizing offline barriers such as the need to physically visit numerous public offices for specific information.
Include a catalogue of public services and the right process manuals or standard operating procedures for all available services.
Enable self-enrolment for all eligible services as part of technology platforms.
Set up an ecosystem of key players to create DPI:
Foster a robust digital ecosystem by actively engaging with a diverse set of stakeholders, including universities, government agencies, financial institutions, civil society organisations, and development actors.
For effective governance, rather than solely relying on a political 'champion', it's advisable to strike a balance between political and institutional leadership. Ministries, such as those of interior or digitalization, should ideally lead efforts to align different stakeholders, consolidate databases, and streamline policies.
Incentivise public-private data ecosystems so that the private sector can accelerate the development of standardised, high-quality service applications.
Adopt a citizen-centred design approach to DPI:
When open standards are adequately used, this can drive privacy of data and safety in transactions and allow diverse players to build on top of a public, regulated platform. This should prevent vendor lock-in and allow healthier collaboration and competition.
Select the optimal design for DPI:
The process of choosing the right design for a DPI depends heavily on the specific needs, budget, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capacity of the government. The options available are varied:
They could build an in-house solution that is created, owned, and operated solely by the government, providing full control over its operation and development.
Deploying a digital public good could be a viable option, which entails using publicly available, open-source software that can be tailored to the government's specific needs. This last option often provides the flexibility of customization with lower upfront costs, but it may require significant technical expertise to adapt and maintain.
Leverage advancements in digital and information technologies to enhance interoperability among different systems, improve efficiency of public service delivery and formulation of public policy, and monitor implementation:
Make civil registration and the national identity management system interoperable/integrated to create a 'single source of truth'. Enhance interoperability among different functional registries by linking them to a digital ID. This will increase efficiency of public service delivery and improve national security.
Harmonize data collected, used and managed by individual Ministries and government units (from national to local) to advance such efficiencies as “enter once/use everywhere” (i.e., avoid repeated entry of the same data in various formats by enabling real interoperability across agencies requiring the same data).
Identify and collect data to measure progress of increased access and efficiency in providing public services by introducing digital measures that allow interoperability among different systems. Success metrics can include time, cost and number of visits that are required from citizens to access public services offers.
Nurture creative public-private partnership models for stronger and more agile partnerships with communities and the private sector instead of perpetual donor-driven and government-subsidised options.
Promote a whole-of-government cultural and behavioural shift towards embracing and leveraging the potential of digital technologies and data to deliver public services that are efficient, effective, inclusive and responsive to the evolving needs of the communities in the digital age.
Data exchange
This section focuses on open government data and private data; this includes particularly interoperability of registries, data storage and governance mechanisms. The following are broad suggestions:
Develop data management frameworks that prioritise the harmonisation of data collection, usage, and management across various agencies and levels. It's vital to ensure data privacy and security in these frameworks. An integral part of this alignment is a shared understanding of what specific data points signify both semantically (in terms of meaning and context) and in practice (how they are used and applied in real-world scenarios). Additionally, this entails agreeing on data standards, such as date formats like dd/mm/year and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders. Implementing mechanisms for data quality assurance is also essential.
Determining whether to adopt a centralized or decentralized data exchange architecture depends on the local context and risk factors in a developing country's political setting. Assessing unique circumstances, governance structures, and trust levels is crucial. Centralization may offer unified oversight, streamlined governance, and enhanced security, promoting interoperability and efficiency. However, in contexts with political risks and trust deficits, decentralization may help to distribute control, reduce misuse risks, empower local actors and foster innovation and citizen participation. The decision should prioritize data protection, privacy and responsible governance in line with international standards.
Develop an e-governance platform that integrates with a digital ID system to offer a wide range of e-services to citizens through a shared portal. This integrated platform harnesses the power of data from various government departments, allowing citizens to access services such as document applications, bill payments, healthcare and business registrations. By providing a centralized one-stop shop, citizens can navigate through different services without the need for multiple websites or physical visits.
Establish a robust governance mechanism to protect human rights, particularly data protection and privacy. This requires developing a comprehensive legal ecosystem that addresses data privacy laws, institutional arrangements for oversight and enforcement and mechanisms for handling data breaches and complaints. Additionally, it involves designing policies and practices that prioritize inclusion, mitigate risks and promote transparency, accountability and fairness in the use of data.
Implement a consent-based open data exchange approach that empowers individuals to authorize and monitor how their personal data are accessed and used. This can be achieved through user-friendly interfaces and tools that enable individuals to grant or revoke consent, access transparent information about data usage and exercise control over their data. Building trust through effective data governance and privacy measures is essential to ensure the responsible and ethical use of data. Consider the benefits and implications of cross-border data sharing if there is sufficient capacity and strong incentives.
Identification
This section focuses on creating human-centred, inclusive and sustainable digital legal identity systems. The following are broad suggestions:
Implement human-centred, inclusive and sustainable digitally enhanced identity management programmes, i.e., digital ID systems: This can include processing biometric data when appropriate and must include implementing robust safeguards to protect the privacy and security of individuals. This includes:
Obtaining explicit and informed consent from individuals before collecting and processing their biometric data.
Ensuring that the processing of biometric data is carried out in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Collecting, storing, using and sharing only the minimum amount of biometric data necessary for the intended purpose.
Implementing robust technical and organizational security measures to protect biometric data from unauthorized access, use or disclosure.
Providing clear and accessible information to individuals about how their biometric data is being processed.
Establishing clear retention periods for biometric data and deleting or anonymizing the data when it is no longer needed for the intended purpose.
Providing individuals with the right to access, rectify, delete, and restrict the processing of their biometric data, as well as the right to withdraw consent and lodge complaints with relevant authorities.
Implementing mechanisms for accountability, such as appointing a data protection officer, conducting privacy impact assessments and regularly reviewing and auditing the processing of biometric data to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Payments
As a core component of the digital public infrastructure, digital payments play a key role in accelerating financial inclusion, enhancing government services delivery to citizens and supporting economic growth by empowering users to reduce their reliance on cash and by creating a more inclusive, transparent and efficient way of moving money. To fully realize the potential of digital public infrastructure, it is therefore critical to prioritize and develop accessible, effective, affordable and seamless digital payment systems.
Some suggested priority areas include:
Strengthen financial inclusion initiatives. Develop and implement digital payment systems that build on banking and non-banking (e.g mobile money) infrastructure to drive greater reach, affordability and inclusion, particularly for hard-to-reach and marginalised communities.
Promote open systems and interoperability by also leveraging existing legal ID systems. Ensure interoperability between digital payment systems to establish an open and unified ecosystem for seamless transactions. Using open-source technologies can lower barriers to adoption and linking these payment systems with existing legal ID systems can make transactions more secure, user-friendly and inclusive.
Invest in security. Implement robust security measures to protect digital payment platforms and users from fraud or theft.
Support inclusiveness and uptake. Awareness-raising efforts, policy stimulations, and financial incentives like reduced transaction fees and tax benefits can significantly boost the adoption rates of digital payment systems.
Promote Innovation. Creating an enabling environment for inclusive Fintech innovations and Government-to-Citizen services is vital. These innovations can leverage the digital payment infrastructure to meet the diverse needs of people across various sectors. A strategic approach to this can also align with and support broader national development goals.
Incentivise payment service providers to make the initiative sustainable at scale. For the digital payment initiative to be sustainable at scale, it's important to provide incentives to payment service providers. This could be in the form of regulatory benefits, subsidies, or other mechanisms that encourage ongoing investment and participation.
For further guidance on how to programme for accessible, effective, affordable and seamless digital payment systems, consult the Principles for Responsible Digital Payments developed by the Better Than Cash Alliance.
Emerging technologies
It is crucial to ensure that AI systems used in public goods and service delivery are designed, developed, and deployed with consideration for equity, fairness, transparency, inclusivity and accountability. Otherwise, these technologies will magnify and perpetuate existing biases and discrimination against marginalised communities. This entails:
Developing an AI governance framework that safeguards citizens' safety through a people-centred, human rights-based approach to data availability, quality, openness and accountability. This framework would act as a precondition for deploying AI systems and ensures that they are ethical, inclusive and responsible.
Ensuring that the decision to deploy AI systems for critical public infrastructure is made after sufficient consultation with the public in order to address concerns on the usage of such technology with respect to inclusivity, human rights and data protection.
Identifying and mitigating biases in data, algorithms, and system design, e.g. through regular audits and evaluations of AI systems to identify and address any biases or discriminatory patterns.
To create fair and effective AI systems, it is imperative to use data that is not only diverse but also representative of the entire population these systems aim to serve. This means that the data should reflect the nuances and variations across a multitude of factors including, but not limited to, age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and socioeconomic status. This comprehensive representation ensures that the AI models developed are attuned to a broad spectrum of experiences and perspectives. Additionally, marginalized communities should be meaningfully engaged in the data collection and labelling process, promoting inclusivity and reducing bias. This balanced approach to data gathering and processing leads to the creation of AI models that are more accurate and equitable and effectively serve the diverse needs of all.
Adhering to ethical guidelines and standards for AI development throughout its entire cycle (data collection, algorithm design, model training and deployment) that emphasize fairness, transparency, inclusivity, and accountability.
Ensuring that AI systems used in public goods and service delivery are transparent and explainable. This includes providing clear explanations of how the AI system works, its decision-making process and the factors that influence its outcomes.
It's vital to promote awareness, education and dialogue about AI's ethical implications and potential impact across various societal groups. Developers, operators, policymakers and users from diverse backgrounds should understand the consequences of AI deployment, ensuring that its application benefits all segments of society equally and ethically.
Stakeholders
The people and enterprises on the demand side: Involving people and enterprises on the demand side in the development of projects can lead to more sustainable outcomes and innovation through enhanced ownership, accountability and socioeconomic benefits. It promotes a more participatory and inclusive approach to public project development, which can lead to public goods and services that better serve the needs of communities.
Public institutions and the public digital ecosystem: In addition to Government ministries and agencies at various levels usually involved in public goods and services delivery, programming in the area of “inclusive and future-smart public goods and services” may entail engaging:
Digital Transformation, Information Technology (IT) and Digital Services Units or Departments that work across different government agencies and are responsible for developing and implementing strategies, frameworks and standards for digitalization initiatives
Public service commissions or similar bodies responsible for ensuring that government agencies have the necessary skills, competencies and capacities to implement digital initiatives effectively
Parliaments and Members of Parliament, who in their oversight, law-making and representation roles need to engage with the relevant issues
Other regulatory bodies, such as data protection agencies, telecommunications regulators and other relevant bodies that ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and standards, and safeguard the privacy and security of digital services and data.
Technology industry and capacities (in-country): This may include
Software developers, IT consulting firms and digital service providers contributing to developing and implementing digital solutions
Private sector companies that provide digital infrastructure, such as cloud computing, data centres and telecommunications networks, that can play a crucial role in enabling the digitalization of public goods and services delivery
Financial institutions, including banks, payment processors, and “fintech” companies, that can offer expertise in financial technology (fintech) and payment solutions to facilitate digital transactions for public goods and services
Social enterprises and start-ups that focus on leveraging technology for social impact.
Non-government and civil society organisations, including women’s rights organisations. This may include organisations specialising in
Digital rights, privacy and data protection to provide expertise in ensuring that the digitalization of public goods and service delivery upholds peoples' rights to privacy, security and data protection
Open data and transparency: advocating for open data principles, facilitating access to public data and promoting transparency and accountability in the use of digital technologies
Digital inclusion and access. They can provide insights on how to ensure that the digitalization of public goods and services delivery does not exclude marginalized groups or individuals with limited access to digital technologies
Civic engagement and participation: advocating for people’s engagement, fostering participatory decision-making processes and facilitating public input and feedback on the use of digital technologies
Users’ advocacy to represent the interests of specific user groups, such as consumers or beneficiaries of public goods and services. They can provide insights into the needs, preference, and perspectives of those who will use digitalized public goods and services.
Academia and research institutions: Involving academia and research institutions can strengthen evidence-based approaches to programming for inclusive and future-smart public goods and services delivery. This ensures that digital solutions are grounded in sound research, adhere to best practices and are tailored to the specific needs of communities and stakeholders. This may include institutions specialising in
Public administration and public policy
Social sciences and behavioural sciences
Design, human factors and human-centred design
Data science, big data analytics and data governance
International and comparative studies and benchmarking in the field of digitalization.
Media: Engaging the media sector (both traditional and digital) may play a key role by raising awareness, advocating for transparency and accountability, facilitating public discourse, disseminating information, fostering collaborations and promoting digital skills and literacy among citizens. For example, media can contribute by providing educational content, tutorials and resources on how to access and use digital services. It can also disseminate information about digitalization initiatives, including updates, changes and opportunities for engagement. Investigative journalism also plays a critical role in supporting accountability in societies.
Programming examples
Digital landscape reviews are essential for understanding the foundations of future-smart public goods and services. These reviews should consider which services will be digitized, the degree of interoperability across ministries and governance levels, public administration digital readiness and access to context-specific digital platforms. Developing countries face significant challenges, requiring context-specific models, tools for assessing unique needs, collaborative partners with strategic knowledge and expertise and support in aligning efforts with on-the-ground priorities and the SDGs.
UNDP leverages partnerships to support digital transformation, collaborating with governments, technology firms, networks and academic institutions to share expertise and resources. Bangladesh's digital journey, for example, provides valuable insights into development trajectories, priority-setting processes and the creation of home-grown systems and solutions. A rapid assessment tool for countries' digital landscapes in the context of SDG implementation is needed, helping governments and stakeholders understand digital capacities and gaps, their impact on achieving the SDGs, and helping them create a roadmap for transforming the digital landscape to advance sustainable development priorities.
Countries could adopt the concept of Digital Service Design Lab (DSDL) workshops, which involve civil servants, citizens, local technology companies and international experts in the digital service designing process. This collaboration not only meets the needs of all parties but ensures ownership by the concerned ministry. Participating in these workshops also contributes to developing the local IT industry's capacity to create citizen-centric digital government services, as they have done in countries such as Fiji and the Philippines.
Digital legal identity as a core means of ensuring the universal coverage of public service delivery
Approximately 9% of the global population lacks a legal identity as they were never registered under a national civil registry system or received identity credentials. Without legal identity, these individuals and groups often cannot access or claim their rights to public or private services, including healthcare, education, social protection and financial services. UNDP, as part of the UN Legal Identity Agenda Task Force, supports Member States in developing comprehensive and interoperable civil registration, vital statistics and identity management systems, increasing governments' capacity to register everyone and close the global identity gap.
In Vanuatu, UNDP supported a nationwide joint civil and voter registration effort, issuing national identity documents for the first time in the nation's history. Using digital technologies, data collectors captured biometric data, and the National ID card is now used for various official purposes, including accessing government services and voting. It became a vital tool in managing the pandemic response and vaccination programme roll-out. UNDP has developed in-house software and capacities to support the digitalization of legal identity, which can be tailored and deployed to assist countries.
Bangladesh is a notable example, having registered almost 95% of its population by 2019, up from 8% between 1873 and 2004. This success resulted from government-led policies to enhance digital birth registration and the decentralisation of the system, enabling access from 4,500 locations where parents could register their children.
Using digital tools to fight against corruption by increasing transparency
Technology has become a crucial ally in preventing and tackling corruption worldwide, with innovations in corruption reporting, monitoring, advocacy, and e-government initiatives enhancing transparency, accountability, integrity, openness, participation and inclusion. For instance, UNDP has supported North Macedonia for over a decade in its efforts to establish an efficient local self-government system and create practical solutions for combating corruption at the local level. By partnering with North Macedonia’s Fund for Innovation and Technological Development, UNDP has piloted digital solutions for electronic payment of taxes and public services and created online platforms for digital community forums and volunteering, reducing opportunities for small-scale corruption in public administration.
In Bangladesh, UNDP identified the digitization of land-related services as a strategic entry point to combat corruption. The government of Bangladesh, with UNDP’s technical assistance, has digitized several services, including a data bank for mortgaged properties, an online case management system for land cases and an online system for transferring land ownership. Additionally, UNDP supports the Bangladesh government in leveraging its ‘333’ National Service Access Helpline as an effective grievance redress system, enabling millions of people without smartphones, particularly those in rural areas with low literacy and familiarity with technology, to report grievances. In collaboration with district and sub-district administration, the helpline was repurposed during pandemic-induced lockdowns to provide vital food relief and telehealth services to vulnerable citizens and to prevent child marriages.
Enhancing the robustness of health care services to increase coverage and efficiency of service delivery
Digital technologies and improved health data offer significant opportunities for innovation and progress towards health-related SDGs and more resilient healthcare systems. Universal health coverage depends primarily on well-functioning and robust national health systems. UNDP has successfully introduced and scaled up digital health innovations across 62 countries, focusing on COVID-19 vaccine delivery, medical supply chains, HIV, TB, maternal and child health, as well as service delivery with respect to both communicable and non-communicable disease.
For example, in India, UNDP supported the government in developing and implementing the CoWIN digital platform, which underpins one of the world's largest and most successful COVID-19 vaccination programmes. With over one billion beneficiaries registered, the system offers flexibility and ease-of-use, catering to people with disabilities and those without internet access. As a result, vaccination coverage in rural and hard-to-reach areas exceeds the national average.
At the global level, the Global Dashboard for Vaccine Equity, launched by UNDP, WHO and the University of Oxford in 2021 combines the latest data on the global roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines with relevant socio-economic information, and provides actionable insights for policymakers to better understand the importance of vaccine equity for socioeconomic recovery.
Ensuring timely and targeted social protection services by making use of digital technology
Digitalization presents promising opportunities for managing social protection programmes and systems by collecting, cross-referencing and managing data, identifying beneficiaries and providing support through digital tools.
In Kazakhstan, UNDP supported the government in launching the Digital Family Card, a pilot project aimed at streamlining efforts to assess the vulnerability of families. The card identifies vulnerable families, assesses their needs based on five criteria and automatically initiates state support measures. In Bangladesh, UNDP partnered with various stakeholders to develop and implement a 'citizens' choice architecture for unified digital government payments', promoting the idea that citizens should not have their choices dictated by the government or providers. The platform leveraged existing digital public goods and distribution channels, simplifying delivery and access to social safety net payments for the government and over 6.5 million citizens.
