Digital Public Goods and the Challenges with Discoverability | IGF 2023

Knowledge Graph of Debate

Session report

Audience

Digital Public Goods (DPGs) play an instrumental role in digital transformation endeavours across the globe, especially within developing countries in the Global South. They proffer a significant alternative to the predominantly private sector-driven deployment of technology, addressing the increasingly prominent digital divide and presenting vast opportunities for equality in the digital sphere.

A crucial observation is the challenge faced by many public sector entities due to a lack of in-house tech expertise. Consequently, these entities frequently rely on partnerships with private sector institutions to augment this deficit. Interestingly, the utilisation of DPGs by consultancies has the potential to bolster public sector capabilities and enhance tech expertise. However, for the effective deployment of DPGs, tech expertise and consultation are necessitated, particularly from private sector partners such as IBM. This reflects the intricate interrelationship between public and private sectors in the digital arena.

Parallel to this trend of synergy and cooperation, countries are increasingly endeavouring to construct their local vendor ecosystems for DPGs. A prime example is the Togolese government, which independently developed the Novissi payment system, utilised during the COVID-19 pandemic for cashless transfers to vulnerable individuals. This exemplifies how DPGs can be instrumental during crises.

To cultivate a vibrant ecosystem for DPGs, it’s advantageous to establish robust partnerships and implement capacity-building programmes with system integrators and software providers. This strategy has been effectively utilised by Moseb, which has cultivated an ecosystem of over 80 partners globally and conducted numerous successful rollouts and pilot programmes.

However, significant challenges persist. One such issue is the difficulty in operating at a local level without substantial national support, which has been experienced in Bangladesh. Furthermore, there are considerable challenges surrounding procurement processes and system lock-overs that impede the adoption of open-source solutions. These factors underscore that policymakers at both municipal and governmental levels need to ensure a more conducive environment for open-source adoption.

Interestingly, it’s apparent that technical capacity does not represent the only challenge when it comes to integrating DPGs. Softer capacity issues have been identified through consultations with policymakers, underscoring the importance of capacity development at multiple levels – individual, organisational, and societal – when dealing with open-source software.

An essential insight captured from this analysis is the necessity for ensuring socio-cultural relevance of technology. Fundamentally, technology should be developed to align with society and its cultural norms, rather than society conforming to fit technology. Therefore, the integration of interdisciplinary capabilities should be contemplated by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) in developing socio-culturally relevant technology. This nuanced approach can potentially aid in achieving the objectives of digital transformation initiatives more effectively.

Cynthia Lo

The examination explores the instrumental role of platforms like GitHub in nurturing coding proficiency and fostering software development. GitHub equips developers with forward-thinking tools such as Copilot, an AI pair programmer, GitHub Actions to automate repetitive tasks, and Codespaces for setting up coding environments effortlessly. The fundamental importance of open-source software, where source code is freely accessible, fostering modification, usage, and distribution, is also highlighted. This openness stimulates a cooperative approach, bolstering the software’s customisation and evolution by an international community of developers.

Underpinning the series of contentions presented is the powerful capability of such platforms to contribute substantially to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This notion is supported by the affirmation that open-source software within the social sector is purposefully designed and tailored to align with SDGs and adheres to the precept of ‘do no harm’. By augmenting transparency and fostering active engagement, this software empowers individuals to learn coding and tackle broader societal challenges.

The necessity and benefits of alliances, particularly those bridging public and private sectors, are emphasised. The investigation substantiates the argument that these partnerships are crucial for augmenting the discoverability and efficiency of digital public goods (DPGs). Standardised formats, enhanced tagging systems, and continuous feedback loops with DPG users, creators, and backers all become feasible through such collaborations. The monitoring and impact reporting fostered by these alliances further forge a layer of accountability, whilst data and knowledge sharing cultivate transparency.

The discourse veers towards the need for localisation and accessibility of DPGs. Localisation may span from language alterations to software development adaptations, ensuring that digital tools are tailored for exacting communities. The design strategy should consider traditionally marginalised groups and regions with low connectivity, thus enabling inclusive development and diminishing inequalities, a central tenet that resonates with the SDGs.

The perspectives of Cynthia Lo are also integrated, highlighting the potential of embedding DPGs into local ecosystems. This strategy is believed to stimulate the wider usage of digital tools and technologies. She endorses the concept of the ‘Five Rules’, favouring pragmatic measures to encourage the adoption and assimilation of DPGs in local communities. Her insights also shed light on the need for inventive ideas to enforce this ecosystem integration, emphasising the ongoing discourse on the responsible and inclusive digitalisation of societies.

In summary, the examination emphasises the symbiotic association between digital public goods and sustainable development, underscoring the ongoing need for accessible, accountable, and cooperative strategies to promote these valuable resources. The synthesis of local and global perspectives offers a comprehensive understanding of how digital tools intersect with societal, developmental, and equality initiatives.

Ricardo Torres

The Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA), a multi-stakeholder initiative endorsed by the United Nations, is committed to boosting the discoverability, utilisation, and investment in open-source technologies. The DPGA consists of a diverse array of organisations, including units from the UN system, donors, civil society organisations, private companies, and governments. Ricardo Miron, the technical lead at the DPGA, encourages participants to explore their utilisation of Digital Public Goods (DPGs), particularly from a global and developed nations’ perspective.

A noteworthy accomplishment is the development of a COVID-19 tracker by Sri Lanka, utilising the existing open-source tool known as DHIS-2. This tool’s significance has been recognised globally, with adoption primarily in the South Asian region, demonstrating the potential of open-source solutions in tackling global challenges. However, there is an observed regional disparity in the adoption of this tool, highlighting inequality in the use of open-source technologies, particularly in low and middle-income countries.

GitHub is identified as the default platform for nearly all open-source projects, including GHIS2, Seekan, and ERPNext, which are components of DPGs. Encompassing open data, open content, open models, and open standards, these DPGs expand beyond mere software projects. Successful implementations such as SimpleMap and Open Terms Archive showcase the vast possibilities. DPGs, open by default, provide accessible code and corresponding documentation, and align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A crucial aspect discussed is the pivotal role of community support in the successful deployment and implementation of DPGs. The robust implementation of Sri Lanka’s HIS2 tracker and Estonia’s X roads data exchange solution underpin the importance of a strong supporting community. Community hubs with technical knowledge around HIS2 were significant contributors to successful implementation. Moreover, participants have flexibility in deploying solutions and expanding capacity building, as both are optional.

Interestingly, the DPGA itself does not operate directly at the local level, but many of its solutions and DPGs do. This reflects the adaptability and applicability of the solutions across various levels of governance. Insights from Project SDM, chiefly implemented at the local level and involving digital citizen participation, further emphasise this.

In conclusion, the DPGA highlights the vital role of open-source technologies and DPGs in the global digital transformation and in achieving SDGs. Insights emphasise the importance of having strong community support, efficient process design and facilitated public service delivery. Addressing the disparity in the utilisation of these technologies and solutions in different regions, and increasing their adoption in underrepresented areas, is deemed essential. Thus, the collective development and success of these initiatives are vital in global efforts towards achieving sustainable development.

Lea Gimpel

Digital transformation and public services have grown in prominence globally, with numerous countries evincing interest in cultivating local vendor ecosystems specifically tailored for digital public goods. This burgeoning trend signifies a stout international shift towards digital advancement. Open-source technology plays a pivotal role in this evolution, offering countries the potential to assert themselves as global pioneers in digital transformation and public services. The Togolese government is a case in point; they developed a payment system known as ‘No VC’, designed to facilitate cashless transfers to vulnerable individuals amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve declared an interest in exporting such capabilities to other countries.

Nonetheless, the path to widespread adoption of open-source software necessitates capacity development across multiple dimensions. This requires individual upskilling for users, developers and vendors, as well as organisational refinement in procuring open-source systems. Additionally, there’s a critical need to foster societal comprehension of open-source technology as beneficial to all, dispelling fears around security and safety, which primarily originate from citizens wary of government’s usage of open-source tools.

Against this backdrop of concerns, the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) nevertheless advocates for shared knowledge and experiences from various sectors to further bolster capacity development. It’s paramount to note that this intricate process is time-consuming and doesn’t offer immediate solutions.

Moreover, observable differences exist in the development of Digital Public Goods (DPGs), with some DPGs being formulated via top-down approaches, particularly evident within Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) realms. Recognising the significance of DPI, agencies such as the UN Tech Envoy and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have recently commenced DPI safeguards initiatives. These are designed to build a framework for secure DPI via a multi-stakeholder method.

Lastly, it is underscored that public involvement is instrumental in the development process of digital public goods and services. Developers are encouraged to interweave public perspectives into discussions and development processes, thereby promoting inclusivity and equity. This synergy between digital development and public cooperation serves to strengthen the ties binding technological progress to societal collaboration.

Speakers