Accelerating digitalization of government services in low-resource settings: Implementing a Reference Digital Platform based on reusable building blocks

A digital platform is a set of multiple components that are integrated and work together as a whole to handle end-to-end processes necessary to achieve an improved experience for governments, businesses and citizens. An “SDG Digital Platform” is a platform that is comprised of a set of components or Building Blocks that are required to deliver basic comprehensive and integrated digital services relevant to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

In resource-constrained nations, access to an exemplar or model/reference implementation of an integrated digital platform, designed as a "Digital Public Good," can substantially expedite the rollout and expansion of digital services. This approach ensures the adoption of top-tier software development principles and practices while delivering essential and widespread services pivotal to achieving the SDGs. 

This project implemented a SDG digital platform as a proof-of-concept reference implementation. The goal of developing this reference (or model) implementation was to demonstrate a real example of the platform that can be used as a point of reference for learning purposes and to encourage others to create their own implementations. 

The project created an accessible “sandbox” environment where anyone can experiment, try, learn about how they can “assemble” components/building blocks to make them work together to design integrated services responding to their own requirements and needs.

This project was a direct response to the expected results of the ITU Regional Initiative for Europe on “A citizen-centric approach to building services for national administrations”. This initiative particularly aims at facilitating the development of transformative and paperless citizen-centric services that are accessible and available to all members of society.