Dr. Bilal Mateen appointed to working groups for UN Digital Public Infrastructure Safeguards initiative
Last week, Digital Square’s Executive Director Dr. Bilal Mateen joined other digital experts at the kickoff for the working groups of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Safeguards initiative.
The UN DPI Safeguards initiative brings together diverse voices to develop a safeguards framework to guide digital public infrastructure design and implementation around the world.
Stewarded by the United Nations (UN), the DPI Safeguards initiative is a multi-stakeholder process bringing together diverse voices through six working groups to develop a safeguards framework that will guide DPI design and implementation around the world. Each group is dedicated to one of the six key areas of focus: principles, operationalization, governance, technical aspects, normative frameworks, and organizational structures, with continuous cross-validation. The initiative unifies and builds upon the work done in this critical area by the ecosystem of experts and institutions globally and aims to present the completed framework at the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024.
Dr. Mateen was appointed to join the Operationalization working group, where he will leverage the wealth of experience and expertise within Digital Square and PATH—as well as his own work in the digital health and development sectors—to support the development of the DPI Safeguards Framework. A few examples of DPI work that Digital Square has led and contributed to in the past include:
The Digital Public Infrastructure for Health: Charting a path to implementation in LMIC health systems framework report (2023), produced by Vital Wave with thought partnership from Digital Square at PATH and support from Co-Develop; and
The Digital Financial Services for Health: Programmatic Case Studies from Kenya and Rwanda report (2021), produced by Management Sciences for Health with Digital Square support.
Digital public infrastructure as the backbone of a digital society
Similar to physical infrastructure like roads, bridges, and railways, DPI is built with public investments to lay a foundation for innovation and future development. In this way, DPI forms the backbone of a digital society, facilitating everything from digital health to financial transactions to digital IDs. This infrastructure is key to advancing digital transformation across different sectors and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
There is increasing recognition among countries that DPI is made of foundational building blocks, which are important to manage the interplay of people, resources, and information. However, the concept of DPI is expanding, with building blocks emerging in other domains such as climate action, healthcare, and gender equity, as well as the rapidly emerging field of artificial intelligence (AI).
As digital public infrastructure expands to encompass these domains, there is a need to ensure safeguards. The DPI Safeguards initiative is part of the UN’s commitment to including and protecting everyone, everywhere—and our planet—while also accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Creating a practical framework for the implementation of DPI safeguards
The DPI Safeguards initiative focuses on three key areas:
Development of the DPI Safeguards Framework: Through multi-stakeholder convenings and expert-led discussions in the working groups, the Framework will focus on principles, processes, and practices for safeguarding DPI, with a focus on implementation.
Establishment of the DPI Safeguards Resource Hub: This community hub for the DPI Safeguards initiative aims to provide updated knowledge, guidance, and resources from diverse partners, as well as facilitate international and in-country collaboration and knowledge sharing.
In-Country DPI Safeguards Adoption: While the DPI Safeguards Framework is being developed, in-country applications of DPI will be used as a test bed to gather insights to improve the Framework's development.
Digital Square looks forward to participating in this crucial and timely initiative to help ensure that everyone, everywhere can both enjoy the benefits of the digital transformation of health systems while also ensuring safety, privacy, and equity.