GovTech panel on DPI cautions on dogmatic digitalization

Digital public infrastructure is a hot topic among governments, but a recent panel reminded the audience that some hybridity and autonomy should remain in the system.

A GovTech panel on “Co‑Designing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) that Reaches the Last Mile” brought together regional experts to examine how interoperable, inclusive systems that deliver reliable services to all citizens can be built.

Moderated by Puja Raghavan, junior advisor at GIZ’s GovStack initiative in Germany, the session featured Dasun Hegoda, a DPI technical expert from Sri Lanka; Mark Pereira, Head of Partnership, Strategic and Growth at AI Singapore; and May‑Ann Lim, Director of Multilateral Relations, Data Policy and Partnerships at Access Partnership, Singapore.

The discussion centered on how governments can transform fragmented digital services into cohesive, citizen‑friendly systems by embedding interoperability, accessibility and co‑design principles from the outset.

Sri Lanka’s Dasun Hegoda outlined the four layers of government interoperability — legal, organizational, semantic and technical — arguing that reform must begin with a clear legal mandate for data sharing. “The journey starts with legal interoperability,” he said, before moving on to working out how to share the data.

He emphasized the need for common data models, open standards, open APIs and a whole‑of‑government approach that prioritises security and privacy by design. Hegoda also stressed that inclusivity must be built into DPI from day one.

Understanding citizens’ pain points, he said, is essential to designing systems that work across multiple delivery channels, languages and connectivity environments. Offline support is a must, he added, highlighting the need for services that remain functional during disasters or network outages. He also urged governments to ensure new platforms are “AI‑compatible by design,” enabling chatbots and other tools to enhance service delivery.

May‑Ann Lim warned that many countries struggle to progress beyond the foundational layers of DPI — such as digital identity, e‑payments, trusted data platforms and communication networks — because of legislative bottlenecks.

“Sometimes you get stuck right at the start,” she said, noting that constitutional or legal amendments can stall digital transformation efforts. Without these building blocks, she argued, governments risk creating fragmented application layers and inconsistent AI policies.

Lim made the notable point that digitalization shouldn’t be dogmatic. Hybrid solutions should exist for digitally excluded groups. She cited Singapore’s voucher programmes, describing how printed vouchers with QR codes were introduced for elderly citizens unable to use smartphones. “It’s a risk, but I like this ‘0.5 solution’,” she said. “[We] need to balance out that need for everything digital, everything on the phone, with people who are digitally illiterate,” she added.

AI Singapore’s Mark Pereira echoed the need for human‑centered design, stressing that advanced technologies are ineffective if citizens cannot use them. “There is no point building the most advanced AI in the world if my mother does not know how to use it,” he said. Pereira called for broad‑based AI literacy — from awareness to risk understanding — to ensure that people across society can benefit from emerging tools.

Another point Pereira made was that of autonomy — both for governments and for citizens — at a time when AI is becoming embedded in public infrastructure. “Sovereignty is harder to define,” he said, whereas autonomy is about retaining the ability to make independent choices. This includes knowing when not to deploy AI.

Across the panel, speakers agreed that DPI must be co‑designed with citizens, grounded in global standards and built to reach the last mile. After all, digital transformation should not deepen inequality when its aim is to reduce it.

UN Women report includes recommendations for gender‑inclusive DPI

A UN Women report warns that while DPI is expanding worldwide and improving access to financial services and essential public programmes, efforts to ensure these systems work for women and girls remain limited.

The publication, “Making Digital Public Infrastructure Work for Women and Girls: Exemplar Stories”, highlights emerging initiatives that embed gender inclusion into the design of digital ID, payments and data‑exchange systems.

It argues that DPI can only deliver society‑wide benefits if it is built to meet the needs of all users, including women and girls who often face structural, legal and technological barriers. It includes “exemplar stories” about MOSIP, Singapore’s health appointment system, digital payments in Brazil and Nigeria. The report includes a case study of age verification safeguard to prevent child marriage, using MOSIP and OpenCRVS, which addresses SDG target 5.3 on eliminating early or forced marriage.

Drawing on the DPI Safeguards Framework, the report stresses that digital systems must reflect women’s experiences across the entire life cycle, from birth registration to old‑age support. It calls on governments, regulators, donors, technology providers and civil society to proactively consider how each layer of DPI can deliver safe, equitable outcomes.

UN Women outlines three key recommendations: scale up investment in gender‑inclusive DPI; involve women and girls directly in the design, development and review of digital systems; and collect gender‑disaggregated data to better understand who is benefiting — and who is being left behind.

The report argues that without these measures, DPI risks reinforcing existing inequalities rather than closing gender gaps in access, opportunity and digital participation.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital public infrastructure  |  DPI Safeguards Framework  |  government services  |  United Nations