Securing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

Universal digital public infrastructure safeguards framework: fostering inclusive and secure digital transformation

Introduction

Digital public infrastructure (DPI) forms the backbone of digital government transformation, offering shared, secure, and interoperable systems that enable efficient delivery of public and private services. Examples include digital identity platforms, data-sharing systems, digital payments, and notification services. These systems are fundamental for enhancing government operations, supporting socio-economic growth, and enabling seamless collaboration across sectors and borders.

While DPI offers considerable benefits—such as scalability, resilience, and innovation—it also introduces risks related to safety, inclusivity, and governance. The Universal DPI Safeguards Framework provides actionable principles, processes, and practices to mitigate these risks and ensure DPI fosters trust and inclusion throughout its lifecycle. See https://www.dpi-safeguards.org/framework

Key elements of the DPI safeguards framework

Benefits of DPI. DPI delivers significant advantages to governments, businesses, and society, including:

Efficiency: Established tools allow institutions to focus resources on high-value activities, creating economies of scale.
Interoperability: Standardised approaches and reusable components enable collaboration across systems, sectors, and borders.
User inclusion: Reliable DPI enhances service accessibility and inclusivity, meeting diverse user needs.
Scalability: Reusable digital building blocks adapt to increasing demand, ensuring continuity without major reinvestment.
Resilience: Robust digital foundations support rapid crisis response.
Innovation: By building on existing platforms, stakeholders can experiment with new technologies and solutions efficiently.

Addressing risks and vulnerabilities. DPI risks are multidimensional, spanning safety, inclusion, and structural vulnerabilities:

Safety risks: Privacy breaches, digital insecurity, and inadequate recourse mechanisms can undermine trust.
Inclusion risks: Discrimination, unequal access, and exclusionary practices hinder broad participation.
Structural challenges: Weak governance, digital distrust, and unsustainable practices affect adoption and resilience.

Principles for safe and inclusive DPI. The Framework outlines nine foundational principles, including avoiding harm, ensuring transparency, and fostering inclusivity, alongside nine operational principles, such as promoting financial sustainability and inclusive governance. Together, these principles form the basis for risk mitigation and trust-building throughout the DPI lifecycle.

Implementation strategies and recommendations

1. Governance and management. Governments play a central role in DPI governance, from design and deployment to oversight. Strategic frameworks are essential to align DPI with national priorities while addressing challenges like privacy, resilience, and funding.

Recommendations include:

Developing strategic frameworks encompassing digital identity, payments, and core data registries.
Ensuring cross-sector and cross-border collaboration to enhance transparency and scalability.
Investing sustainably in DPI design, operation, and maintenance while transitioning from legacy systems.

2. Lifecycle-based safeguards. The Framework applies safeguards at each DPI lifecycle stage:

Conception and scoping: Define objectives, assess risks, and align systems with legal frameworks.
Strategy and design: Engage stakeholders, establish robust architectures, and mitigate barriers to inclusion.
Development: Build and test prototypes, ensuring scalability and security.
Deployment: Implement governance measures, onboard users, and refine systems based on feedback.
Operations and maintenance: Continuously monitor and upgrade systems to maintain safety and inclusivity.

3. Monitoring and capacity-building. Key performance indicators (KPIs) tailored to specific contexts track DPI’s impact on people, institutions, and technology. Capacity-building for stakeholders, including policymakers, private sector actors, and civil society, ensures effective governance and long-term benefits.

4. Policy recommendations. The Framework advocates for:

Human-centred design, prioritising privacy-by-design, ethical standards, and robust governance.
International collaboration to share resources, frameworks, and solutions, fostering global digital cooperation.

Conclusion

The Universal DPI Safeguards Framework offers a comprehensive roadmap for developing and managing safe, inclusive, and sustainable digital public infrastructure. By addressing risks and embedding safeguards across the lifecycle, the Framework ensures DPI’s transformative potential benefits all sectors of society. Countries adopting this approach will not only enhance service delivery and economic efficiency but also build trust and resilience in their digital ecosystems. As DPI continues to evolve, this Framework provides a dynamic tool for guiding its implementation in diverse contexts worldwide.

References:

Universal DPI Safeguards Frameworkhttps://www.dpi-safeguards.org/framework