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Civic Tech for Transparent, Inclusive, and Accountable Governance

What is Civic Tech, and why does it matter?

Civic Technology, known as Civic Tech, refers to the use of digital tools and platforms that help people engage with governments and public institutions in more open, inclusive, and meaningful ways.

From mobile apps that enable citizens to report issues in their communities, to online platforms for participatory budgeting, to open-data websites — Civic Tech creates new ways for people to access information, raise concerns, and shape political and public decisions. Making governance more transparent, accountable, and responsive gives people a stronger voice and supports new forms of collaboration between citizens and the state.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Civic Tech is becoming increasingly vital. While the region is home to over 4.3 billion people and some of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies, it is also witnessing a worrying trend: civic space is shrinking, and public trust in institutions remains fragile. Laws restricting online expression, limited access to information, and centralized governance structures make it difficult for people, especially marginalized groups, to influence public decisions. 

Civic Tech offers new pathways for action. It enables citizens to connect more easily and quickly with one another, speak out publicly, and engage directly with institutions to drive change. Whether through digital petitions, community reporting tools, or platforms that allow citizens to shape local policies, these innovations open doors for more citizen-led governance.

 

Civic Tech and GovTech: Complementary Tools for Better Governance

While Civic Tech focuses on expanding civic engagement and participation, and GovTech emphasizes improving institutional efficiency, both are essential in building responsive, inclusive, and resilient governance systems. Together, they modernize government operations and services, making institutions more transparent and accountable. 

Civic Tech enables people to access information, raise concerns, share ideas, and shape policies. GovTech improves how institutions respond, making it easier for public officials to act on citizen input, enhance internal processes, deliver services efficiently, and build public trust through data and transparency.

Rather than working in silos, Civic Tech and GovTech go hand in hand—each enhancing the other’s impact. Strong Civic Tech ecosystems can accelerate demand for more open institutions, while effective GovTech can lay the groundwork for meaningful citizen participation. 

 

Youth-led Civic Tech Innovation 

Across the region, youth have long played vital roles in driving social change—yet their voices often remain excluded from policy and political decision-making. According to the Youth Development Index, political and civic participation remains one of the weakest dimensions of youth engagement, even with more than 1.1 billion young people aged 15 to 29 living in the Asia-Pacific region, representing around a quarter of the population. 

In a context of democratic backsliding, distrust in institutions, and limited access to decision-making spaces, youth are responding with creativity and action. By mobilizing peers against electoral misinformation, building community-based accountability tools, and experimenting with digital innovations to improve public services, young people across the region are reclaiming agency in governance.

These efforts point to a growing demand for new tools, inclusive spaces, and meaningful support, allowing youth to co-create governance systems that are more transparent, participatory, and trusted. As the world strives to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, strong institutions and inclusive governance are more critical than ever. Empowering youth to lead these efforts is not just timely—it is essential.

 

Illustration of people working on a blue rocket and digital board for a civic tech challenge.

In May 2025, UNDP, in collaboration with the Open Government Partnership, Accountability Lab, and CurveUp, launched the Regional Civic Tech Innovation Challenge to identify and support youth-led civic tech solutions that strengthen governance in Asia and the Pacific. The open call received 251 applications from 30 countries, demonstrating strong interest from young innovators in using technology to enhance public participation, transparency, and accountability.

The solutions proposed by young entrepreneurs span a wide range of governance challenges - from citizen feedback tools and digital petition platforms to AI-powered public service improvements and inclusive access to local government systems. These applications reflect different levels of engagement with governance: some are closely aligned with public sector transformation, while others are at an earlier stage - focused on awareness, participation, or issue-based advocacy. Many solutions also illustrate how civic tech can intersect with climate resilience, disaster response, local governance, digital inclusion, and making government more transparent, participatory, and citizen-centric.

This variety highlighted an important learning: youth-led civic tech innovations are evolving along multiple pathways. Understanding this spectrum will help us shape tailored support strategies in the future. Another insight from the open call was the gender imbalance among applicants, with relatively fewer women-led teams in this space. This underscores the importance of fostering inclusive innovation ecosystems that actively support women’s leadership in civic tech.

 

Catalogue of 15 Youth-Led Finalists

A showcase of the Civic Tech Innovation Challenge’s 15 standout youth-led solutions.

See it here
Blue background featuring illustrations of people collaborating and technology icons. Text reads "Regional Civic Tech Innovation Challenge on Governance Finalists Catalogue."