UNDP transforming lives in Namibia with digital legal ID initiative

An Accelerator Lab programme implemented by UNDP Namibia is enabling many citizens to enjoy basic services they hitherto were cut off from for lack of digital legal identity.

Via a series of blog posts, UNDP Namibia is spotlighting the impact of the program which started with a pilot in Groot Aub – a poor community on the outskirts of the country’s capital – and later deployment at scale. It is implemented by UNDP Namibia in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security (MHAISS), and it is said to be the first time the UNDP’s model governance framework on digital legal identity is being deployed anywhere in the world.

The UNDP defines digital legal ID as a physical or digital credential as well as the enabling process which seeks to ensure that the credential is both recognized and trusted.

In part one of the blog post, the UN agency narrates how one Groot Aub resident, Lydia, was, for many years, unable to enjoy essential basic services because she did not have a digital legal identity. She was among many other citizens who couldn’t have access to services in different sectors such as health, education, and finance.

The Lab has sailed on the wings of a strong partnership with local relevant stakeholders who have shown concerted efforts to see the project succeed, the agency says.

These efforts led to the Lab obtaining funds which were used to “procure, deploy and test a portable and mobile device designed for the digital management of remote citizen registration and identity documents.”

The success of the pilot prompted even stronger collaboration and the scaling up of a biometric registration process in many more communities of the country, which has gone a long way in opening up opportunities for marginalized people.

A good governance framework for digital legal identity is vital in driving inclusion in underserved communities, according to the UNDP.

The agency emphasizes that given the risks that come with digitalization, putting in place a good governance framework like the model being implemented in Namibia is an important step towards mitigating those risks and protecting people’s human rights.

Namibia, a trailblazer

The UNDP says Namibia’s trailblazing implementation of the model governance framework for digital legal identity will serve as an example for many countries in the region, notes part two of the blog series.

Since the model was introduced to government in 2023, the process has not been without challenges, the agency, but it has proven to be a transformative force that is propelling the country towards meeting its sustainable development goals targets.

Details of the digital legal ID governance framework implementation process in Namibia and the lessons learnt will be outlined in a third blog post.

Last year, Namibian lawmakers examined a legislation that introduces reforms in the country’s civil status registration and identity management system.

Article Topics

Africa  |  digital identity  |  identity management  |  legal identity  |  Namibia  |  SDG 16.9  |  UNDP