By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Global policymakers and
digital development experts have called for a child-centred approach to the
design and implementation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), emphasizing
that digital systems must be built to serve the needs of children throughout
their lives.
The discussions took place
during a high-level event organized by the Digital Centre of Excellence under
UNICEF at the ongoing UN Open Source Week in New York.
The session brought together
government officials and digital transformation leaders to examine how
countries can ensure that DPI initiatives deliver meaningful outcomes for
children while maintaining strong safeguards for privacy, trust, and
sustainability.
Moderated by Fui Meng Liew,
the panel featured Armando José Manzueta Peña, Thapeli Matsabu, and Antony
Muriithi.
Participants shared
experiences from country-level implementation and digital systems design,
highlighting the growing role of digital public infrastructure in improving
access to essential services such as healthcare, education, social protection,
and identity systems.
Speakers stressed that DPI
should not be viewed solely as a technology initiative but as a foundational
enabler of social and economic outcomes. They argued that the needs of children
must be integrated into the design of digital systems from the outset to ensure
that digital transformation efforts contribute to their well-being and
development.
The panel also underscored
the importance of embedding safety, trust, and accountability into digital
infrastructure frameworks. According to participants, effective DPI requires
robust governance structures and safeguards that protect users while ensuring
long-term sustainability and impact.
The event formed part of
broader discussions during UN Open Source Week on the role of open, inclusive,
and interoperable digital systems in advancing development objectives. UNICEF's
Digital Centre of Excellence maintained that digital public infrastructure
delivers the greatest value when it is designed around the people it serves,
particularly children, and aligned with the delivery of essential public
services.
