Developed by UNDP’s Global Policy Network and Chief Digital Office, these guides reflect an integrated vision of people-centered digital development. Each guide explores how digital tools can be used to expand service coverage, close structural gaps, strengthen institutions, anticipate risks, and foster local innovation. They also include recommendations to mitigate the risks associated with digitalization, such as technological exclusion, overreliance on external providers, or the erosion of rights.

The guides go beyond describing the potential of technologies in each sector; they offer practical tools for implementing solutions tailored to diverse contexts. For example, the governance guide addresses topics such as digital justice, inclusive public services, and citizen participation based on data. In resilience, the focus is on the use of technologies for disaster risk management and economic recovery. In poverty and economic development, applications for financial inclusion, digital employment, and social protection are highlighted.

Each section also includes case studies, key indicators, and methodological suggestions for integrating technology into UNDP projects. This makes the guides practical handbooks for both public policymakers and project teams on the ground.

Through this initiative, UNDP aims to expand the digital capacities of partner countries, ensure that technological innovation aligns with principles of equity and sustainability, and facilitate dialogue between policymakers, technical specialists, and digital ecosystem stakeholders.

The UNDP Digital Guides will be available in the third quarter of 2023 and are poised to become a fundamental tool for those leading digital transformation processes with a human development focus. Their ultimate goal is to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age, placing technology at the service of inclusive, resilient, and sustainable progress.

This article was originally published in: https://digitalguides.undp.org/