New York – The DPI Safeguards initiative, jointly led by the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology (OSET) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), released its interim report today.

Digital public infrastructures (DPI) have emerged as a critical enabler of development. Harnessing DPIs safely, inclusively and sustainably is key to addressing the digital divide. 

As the first in a series of three reports, this document represents the work of 44 independent experts from public, private, and civil society sectors.These experts studied existing experience with DPIs from around the world highlighting the opportunity, potential risks tied to DPI design and implementation, and mitigation strategies to enhance safety and inclusion. 

The interim report shows how trust and equity are key to leveraging DPI for safe and inclusive societies. It reveals how DPI can act as a potent lever to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and points to the urgent need for guardrails at all stages of the DPI life cycle. 

Following this release, the initiative transitions into a period of public consultations, and will focus on fostering participatory processes and effective practices, including capacity building and sustained governance of DPI, in countries and across borders. These are timely in the light of ongoing deliberations on the Global Digital Compact proposed for adoption at the Summit of the Future.

The DPI Safeguards initiative was launched on September 17, 2023. It unifies and builds upon the work done in this critical area by the ecosystem of experts and institutions globally.

To read the report and provide your comments visit: https://safedpi.gitbook.io/safeguards/working-group-documents/reports 

Join the public webinar to discuss the report. Register here.