Working group on digital government

Current work

Strengthening public institutions in the digital era: In support of the 2023 ECOSOC cycle of work, the CEPA working group provided policy advice on a range of digital government issues including hybrid approaches to public service delivery, addressing digital capacity deficits, review of national digital strategies, and building trust in the use of digital technologies in the public sector.

Background

The great acceleration of digitalization that the COVID-pandemic has engendered is irreversible, with profound effects on the sharing of data and information and public service delivery, as well as opportunities for collaboration across government and with civil society, individuals, and other non-State actors. Central to the global debate on government in the digital era is the broader challenge of ensuring a just, inclusive, people-centred and rights-based digital transformation that leaves no one behind.

The Committee has discussed issues in digital government since its first session in 2002. Following the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, it has focused on supporting countries on their path to achieving the SDGs by examining ways to strengthen public trust, integrity and inclusion through digital transformation, improving public service delivery and engagement through digital solutions, building digital capacity at all levels, addressing digital divides, improving data governance, mitigating risks arising from the use of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and drawing attention to the impact of fake news and misinformation on government functions.

Recent CEPA observations and insights

Stimulating public sector innovation through digital technology

At its 22^nd session, the Committee emphasized that stimulating public sector innovation through digital technology remained a critical and complex issue with implications for all parts of government, including operational agencies, regulatory authorities and oversight bodies. The Committee reiterated the need for hybrid approaches to public service delivery that reflected people’s needs and aspirations while addressing digital capacity deficits. National digital strategies, for their part, should take a holistic approach that focusses on concrete results, closing digital divides and enhancing lives and well-being. They should also be fit-for-purpose, balance opportunities and risks, reinforce respect for human rights, and ensure continuous efforts to anticipate and respond to the impact of technological advances on government and society.

Investing in digital capabilities and expertise while leaving no one behind

At its 21^stsession, the Committee underscored that the digitalization of government and society continued to offer immense opportunities to leapfrog development, improve public service delivery, combat corruption, reduce inequalities and improve state-citizen relations provided it was managed in a fair, ethical and people-centred manner. Efforts to address digital divides were urgently needed if the digital transformation was to achieve its full potential, alongside improved data governance and greater attention to the mitigation of risks arising from ICTs, such as artificial intelligence and social media, through new policy and regulatory regimes and standards.

Digitalization and the emergence of new work modalities in the public sector

At its 20^th session, in the context of discussions on public sector workforce matters, the Committee highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic had accelerated the trend of digitalization and flexible work in the public sector and had opened up possibilities for new work modalities, with the use of information and communication technologies, and new types of contracts. New ways of working had also exposed inequalities and digital divides across the public sector workforce. Equal opportunities should be given for the provision of digital capacity with special attention given to public sector workers in low-income and conflicted countries and in rural and remote areas where digital gaps were most pronounced. While governments could benefit greatly from digitalized services and a strong online presence, misinformation and fake news would have to be combatted to retrain trust in government.

What action does ECOSOC recommend?

ECOSOC reiterates that the COVID-19 pandemic has both accelerated the digital transition and revealed technological weaknesses of public administrations while exacerbating inequalities caused by digital divides, and encourages Governments to manage digitalization of public services in an inclusive, fair, ethical and people-centred manner, while accelerating efforts to bridge digital divides, inter alia through hybrid models of public service delivery (ECOSOC resolution 2023/28, para. 19).

ECOSOC encourages oversight agencies to strengthen the use of open data and artificial intelligence to detect and deter corruption and bribery in all their forms (ECOSOC resolution 2022/9, para. 15).

ECOSOC encourages governments to further promote professionalization of the public sector workforce, invest in digital skills, update competency frameworks for implementation of the 2030 Agenda, address inequalities that exist within the public sector workforce, and take steps to address social inequities in the design and delivery of public services (ECOSOC resolution 2023/28, para 18)

ECOSCOC encourages Governments to develop appropriate schemes for managing flexible work and contract work in the public sector, review public sector labour laws to reflect flexible work arrangements, develop protocols and guidelines for performance assessment in flexible work regimes, and accelerate efforts to enhance digital skills in the context of public sector workforce planning at both the national and subnational levels (ECOSOC resolution 2021/12, para. 12).

Expert papers on this topic (2016-present)

MDREA Membership Application

MDREA Membership Application

MDREA Membership Application

MDREA Membership Application

MDREA Membership Application

Improving engagement and communication between government and stakeholders through online and mobile solutions (conference room paper, 28 April 2016)

MDREA Membership Application

Evaluation of open government performance and results (conference room paper, January 2016)