T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F B A N G L A D E S H B I L L & M E L I N D A G A T E S F O U N D A T I O N B O I
D P G A R E P O R T S T A T E I O F I T H E I D I G I T A L I P U B L I C I G O O D S I E C O S Y S T E M I 2 0 2 3 S D G G O A L
D A T A . O R G D I G I T A L I M P A C T A L L I A N C E E G O V F O U N D A T I O N E K S T E P F O U N D A T
I O N T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F E T H I O P I A F O O D A N D A G R I C U L T U R E O R G A N I Z A T I O
N F O U N D A T I O N F O R P U B L I C C O D E G E R M A N F E D E R A L M I N I S T R Y F O R E C O N O M I
C C O O P E R A T I O N A N D D E V E L O P M E N T G I T H U B T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F G U A T E M A
L A U N G L O B A L P U L S E I N D I A ’ S M I N I S T R Y O F E L E C T R O N I C S A N D I N F O R M A T I O
N T E C H N O L O G Y U N O F F I C E O F I N F O R M A T I O N A N D C O M M U N I C A T I O N S T E C H N
O L O G Y I N S T I T U T E F O R T E C H N O L O G Y A N D S O C I E T Y I N T E R - A M E R I C A N D E V E L
O P M E N T B A N K I N T E R N A T I O N A L T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N U N I O N I S P I R T T H E G O
V E R N M E N T O F M O L D O V A N O R W E G I A N A G E N C Y F O R D E V E L O P M E N T C O O P E R A T
I O N O M I D Y A R N E T W O R K O P E N K N O W L E D G E F O U N D A T I O N T H E O P E N S O U R C E I
N I T I A T I V E D I G I T A L S Q U A R E A T P A T H P U B L I C D I G I T A L T H E R E P U B L I C O F E S T O
N I A ’ S M I N I S T R Y O F F O R E I G N A F F A I R S T H E R O C K E F E L L E R F O U N D A T I O N R W A
N D A ’ S M I N I S T R Y O F I C T A N D I N N O V A T I O N T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F S I E R R A L E O N
E T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F S R I L A N K A T H O U G H T W O R K S T H E U G A N D A M I N I S T R Y O
O F I C T A N I O D N A T I O N A L C O L L A B O R A T I V E A M O M E N T U M G U I D A N C E T H E O F F I C I
O F T H E S E C R E T A R Y - G E N E R A L ’ S E N V O Y O N T E C H N O L O G Y U N D P U N I C E F U S A I D

I N T R O D U C T I O N 		
5

D P G AM I S S I O N

6 		L E T T E R

F R O M

8 		
D I G I T A L

T H E

D P G AT H E

P U B L I C

M E M B E R S

D P G AG O O D S

C O - L E A D S
I N

2 0 2 3S E C R E T A R I A T 		
1 2 		T H E D P G A

S T R A T E G Y

1 5 		M E M B E R S H I P

T H E

A N D

D P G

A N D

U P D A T E

2 0 2 3 – 2 0 2 8

S T A K E H O L D E R

E C O S Y S T E M 		
2 9 		D P G AG O V E R N I N G

4 4 		C O U N T R Y

M E M B E R S H I P S

6 0 		O R G A N I S A T I O N A L

C O N C L U S I O N 		8 8 		L E S S O N S

B O A R D

L E A R N E D

M E M B E R S H I P S

E N G A G E M E N T

A C R O N Y M SAI ARTIFICIALD P G A D I G I TA L P U B L I C

G2P GOVERNMENT TOOKFN OPEN KNOWLEDGEINTELLIGENCEGOODS ALLIANCEPERSONF O U N DAT I O N

A P I A P P L I C AT I O N

D P G D I G I TA L P U B L I C

GIZ DEUTSCHEOSI OPEN SOURCEPROGRAMMINGGOOD

GESELLSCHAFT FÜR

I N I T I AT I V E

I N T E R FAC E S

I N T E R N AT I O N A L E
D P G s 4 D P I D I G I TA L

ZUSAMMENARBEITOSS OPEN SOURCEBMZ GERMAN

PUBLIC GOODS FOR/ GERMAN AGENCYS O F T WA R E

FEDERAL MINISTRY

D I G I TA L P U B L I C

F O R I N T E R N AT I O N A L

FOR ECONOMICINFRASTRUCTUREC O O P E R AT I O N

D P I D I G I TA L P U B L I C

IDB INTER-AMERICANINFRASTRUCTURE

DEVELOPMENT BANKD I G I TA L P U B L I C

DSTI SIERRA LEONE’SI T U I N T E R N AT I O N A L

INFRASTRUCTURE

D I R E CTO R AT E O F

T E L E C O M M U N I C AT I O N SSCIENCE, TECHNOLOGYUNIONC O O P E R AT I O N A N D
DEVELOPMENTS E C R E TA R Y - G E N E R A L’ S

CDPI CENTRE FOR

CoPs COMMUNITIESOSET UN OFFICE OF THE
ENVOY ON TECHNOLOGYOSPO OPEN SOURCEA N D I N N O VAT I O N

OF PRACTICE

PROGRAMME OFFICES D G S U S TA I N A B L E
DEVELOPMENT GOAL

MOSIP MODULAR OPENFAO F O O D A N D

SOURCE IDENTITYCRVS CIVIL

AG R I C U LT U R E

P L AT F O R M

R E G I S T R AT I O N A N D

O R GA N I Z AT I O N O F T H E

V I TA L S TAT I S T I C

U N I T E D N AT I O N SU N D P U N I T E D N AT I O N SNORAD NORWEGIANDEVELOPMENTAGENCY FOR

PROGRAMME

D I A L D I G I TA L I M PA C TFCDO UK’S FOREIGN,DEVELOPMENT

ALLIANCEC O M M O N W E A LT H &C O O P E R AT I O NDEVELOPMENT OFFICE
D I V O C D I G I TA LU N U N I T E D N AT I O N S

U N I C E F U N I T E D N AT I O N S
CHILDREN’S FUNDOICT UN OFFICE OF

INFRASTRUCTURE FORF H I R FA S T H E A LT H C A R E

I N F O R M AT I O N A N D

W H O W O R L D H E A LT H

VA C C I N AT I O N O P E N

INTEROPERABILITYC O M M U N I C AT I O N SO R GA N I Z AT I O N

CREDENTIALINGRESOURCESTECHNOLOGYA C R O N Y M S I N T R O D U C T I O N D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T E R F R O M T H E D P G
A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T
E R F R O M T H E D P G A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 T H E D P G A S E C R
E T A R I A T T H E D P G A S T R A T E G Y U P D A T E 2 0 2 3 – 2 0 2 8 T H E F I V E Y E A R O B J E C T I V E
S O F T H E D P G A O P E R A T I O N A L T A R G E T S F O R 2 0 2 8 M E M B E R S H I P A N D S T A K E H O
L D E R E N G A G E M E N T C O U N T R Y M E M B E R S H I P A D V O C A T I N G F O R D P G S D P G S 4 D
P I : F R O M T H E D P G C H A R T E R T O T H E 5 0 I N 5 C A M P A I G N I N F O R M A T I O N P O L L U T I
O N A I C O M M U N I T Y O F P R A C T I C E D P G R E G I S T R Y , S T A N D A R D , A N D C O M M U N I T
Y D P G S T A N D A R D A N D T E C H N I C A L I N T E G R A T I O N D P G R E G I S T R Y , P R O D U C T O

INTRODUCTIONW N E R S A N D C O M M U N I T Y E N G A I N T R O D U C T I O N G E M E N T T H E D P G E C O S Y S T E M
D P G A G O V E R N I N G B O A R D C O U N T R Y M E M E B R S H I P S B A N G L A D E S H E T H I O P I A
G U A T E M A L A I N D I A R E P U B L I C O F M O L D O V A R E P U B L I C O F E S T O N I A R W A N D A S
R I L A N K A U G A N D A U S A I D O R G A N I S A T I O N A L M E M B E R S H I P S B I L L & M E L I N D A G
A T E S F O U N D A T I O N D A T A . O R G E G O V F O U N D A T I O N F A O F O U N D A T I O N F O R P U B
L I C C O D E G I T H U B U N G L O B A L P U L S E O I C T I T S R I O I N T E R A M E R I C A N D E V E L O P
M E N T B A N K I T U O M I D Y A R N E T W O R K O P E N K N O W L E D G E F O U N D A T I O N O S D D I G
I T A L S Q U A R E A T P A T H P U B L I C D I G I T A L T H E R O C K E F E L L E R F O U N D A T I O N T H O U
G H T W O R K S O S E T C O N C L U S I O N S L E S S O N S L E A R N E D L O O K I N G A H E A D A P P E N

S TA T E O F T H E D I G I TA L P U B L I C G O O D S E C O S Y S T E M

2023

INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONDPGA MISSION AND MEMBERS

The DPGA is a multi-stakeholder initiative that accelerates the attainment of the SDGs by facilitating thediscovery, development, use of, and investment in DPGs.
The DPGA Secretariat is a neutral and independent team that leads the creation and maintenance offoundational components vital to the DPG ecosystem, like the DPG Standard and DPG Registry, and facilitatealignment among a community of like-minded organisations in order to advance DPGs.
The DPGA Secretariat is overseen by the DPGA Governing Board, which functions as a strategic
decision-making body. The Board consists of member-organisations who demonstrate a strong commitment
to DPGs and supporting the DPGA’s mission. Current DPGA Governing Board members include BMZ,
EkStep Foundation, the Government of Sierra Leone, Norad, UNDP, and UNICEF.
Finally, DPGA members are aligned around a shared vision for digital cooperation and a commitment toworking collaboratively to advance DPGs. Our members consist of governments including their agencies;
multilateral organisations including UN entities; philanthropic foundations, funders, and think tanks; andtechnology companies.
This report captures the DPG-related work and contributions of DPGA member entities.

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2023

INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONLETTER FROM
THE DPGA CO-LEADS

2023 was a significant year for the DPGA. Membership has expanded significantly; and the digitalisation
community has evolved, bringing new attention and focus on DPGs and their importance in the world.
This year was also significant for us as Co-Leads, both personally and professionally. Lucy took timeaway to welcome her first child, and Liv stepped temporarily into solo leadership. These big changes, whichhappened alongside an expansion of the DPGA Secretariat, shed new light on why we’re here and what wewill need to operate at the next level as a Secretariat. Together with the DPGA Governing Board we have
evolved DPGA governance significantly, with core operating functions of the DPGA Secretariat now hosted
by a fiscal sponsor. This has allowed the DPGA Secretariat to secure core and project-based financing for the
next five years, which will deepen our ability to work with members and help strengthen the DPG ecosystem.
We also revisited our strategy and realised that much of the understanding and vision that wasarticulated in its first publication in 2021 remains true. This includes that the SDGs will not be attainedby 2030 without the transformative use of digital technologies. However, recognising the impact thesetechnologies have on people and the planet means how they are designed and developed matters. Opensource solutions are increasingly used as an antidote to many of the concerns associated with digitisation,
and DPGs are emerging as a critical part of building and maintaining equitable digital ecosystems.

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2023

INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

Recognising this potential, this year we decided it was time to develop strategic targets to help drive
sharper alignment and coordination towards high-priority development needs and global challenges thatalign with our members’ priorities. Through a consultation process, the DPGA Secretariat generated a set offour, 5-year targets. The target themes are: taking climate action, fighting information pollution, and making
the use of DPGs the norm for preventing and responding to urgent global challenges. These build on our
existing strategic goals, but provide more focus to energise and align the DPGA membership around. We
feel the revised strategy is a true reflection of the focus and operating priorities of the DPGA and captures
both how and why the DPGA exists.
The process of developing the targets has already created a backdrop against which we can showcase
several of our highlights of the year. For example, the 50-in-5 capmpaign was launched by 11 First Mover
countries in November with the DPGA Secretariat as a key coordinating partner alongside the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation, Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure, Co-Develop, and the UNDP. The DPGA Secretariat
also partnered with UNDP to issue a global call for solutions in response to information pollution’s impact
on fragile and conflict-prone contexts. Nine innovative solutions were selected to receive funding and wereshowcased at the Nobel Prize Summit in Washington, DC.
Coming off an energising meeting with DPGA members in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in November,
we feel we are entering the new year ready to succeed. With the strength of new members, a more
focused approach, and a more receptive environment, we are confident in the DPGA’s ability to unlock thetransformative potential of DPGs for a more equitable world in the year ahead.

LIV MARTE NORDHAUG AND LUCY HARRISC O - L E A D S O F T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I AT

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S TA T E O F T H E D I G I TA L P U B L I C G O O D S E C O S Y S T E M

2023

INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIOND I G I TA L P U B L I C
GOODS IN 2023

Throughout 2023, DPGs continued to gain prominence. Globally, governments are increasingly
sharing and adopting DPGs and recognising them as a crucial element that enables access totechnologies within the digital transformation agenda. For example, DPGs were a prominent part ofseveral discussions at the 78th UN General Assembly. DPGs were also a core component of India’s G20
Presidency, building on a central theme: facilitating countries’ efforts to establish secure, trustworthy,
and inclusive DPI while maintaining and strengthening digital sovereignty. At the very core of the 50-in-5
campaign, which was launch with 11 First Mover countries on 8 November, is the belief that DPGs can enablecountries to shorten each other’s learning and adoption journeys in building safe and inclusive DPI.
This year also concluded the DPG Charter process, a movement to improve government services andspur innovation using DPGs, which was co-led by the DPGA and DIAL with support from USAID, FCDO,
UNDP, and UNICEF. The DPG Charter was endorsed by over 20 entities.
DPGs4DPI played a significant role in reinforcing the concept of digital sovereignty this year, wherecountries maintain control over decision-making and service implementation. DPGs emerged as tools
enabling countries to access, adopt, adapt, and scale technology while preserving their flexibility for futureneeds. This theme carried through the Transform Africa Summit, the Tallinn Digital Summit, IGF, and more.

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2023

INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

DPGs were also highlighted as powerful tools for addressing the urgent global challenge of information
pollution, in a campaign that culminated at the 2023 Nobel Prize Summit in May.
This past year underscored the DPGA’s commitment to ensuring DPGs are safe, secure, and serve
the public good. This is reflected in the DPGA Secretariat’s CoPs on open AI and data. Both emphasise
responsible and ethical use, advocating for transparency, fairness, privacy, and security in the development
and deployment of digital resources. They highlight the importance of community and stakeholder
involvement, ensuring that diverse perspectives are considered in governance and decision-making
processes of DPGs. This aligns with the DPGA’s focus on inclusivity and equity in technology development.
These CoPs illustrate a need to ensure DPGs are not only technologically advanced but also responsible andholistically beneficial.
The DPGA Secretariat further explored and supported efforts to ensure the sustainability of DPGs,
acknowledging that their success goes beyond code development and implementation alone. Key
discussions at the DPGA Annual Members’ Meeting highlighted the importance of capacity building,nurturing a vibrant community of contributors, and developing a clear product roadmap as essential for the
long-term viability of DPGs. The DPGA Secretariat continues to invest in building a strong community of DPG
product owners with a newsletter and community calls that provide a space for the technologists behind
DPGs to meet and share insights, opportunities, and collaborations.
This shift recognises the need for strategic frameworks to effectively scale DPGs, balancing costeffectiveness with the reality that they are not cost-free, and that successful implementation of DPGs
requires human and financial resources. Sustainability approaches involving the local commercial
ecosystem, including training and certification programs, are being explored. These models not only

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2023

INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

generate sustainable revenue but also empower local vendors to contribute as implementers, thus reducing
dependency on traditional funding sources.
Recognising the importance of sharing implementations and best practices, the DPGA emphasisesthat adopting existing DPGs is as crucial as developing new ones. Acting as a catalyst for DPGA
members, the DPGA Secretariat fosters connections and performs core functions to maximise the impact ofmembers’ activities in line with the shared mission and vision outlined in the DPGA strategy.
Looking ahead to 2024, the DPGA remains committed to advocating for the adoption of DPGs andthe implementation of open-source technologies in countries’ DPI efforts. This approach serves as ameans to promote digital sovereignty, foster a just digital transformation, stimulate innovation, collaborationand country ownership, and expedite progress towards the SDGs. The DPGA will continue to encourage the
DPG ecosystem to fund, advocate for, support, and elevate DPGs and their developers and implementers,with a heightened focus on our thematic targets and flexibility to address emerging urgent global challenges.
In particular, the DPGA will ramp up climate related work in 2024, both on the adaptation and mitigation side.

10

A C R O N Y M S I N T R O D U C T I O N D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T E R F R O M T H E D P G
A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T
E R F R O M T H E D P G A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 T H E D P G A S E C R
E T A R I A T T H E D P G A S T R A T E G Y U P D A T E 2 0 2 3 – 2 0 2 8 T H E F I V E Y E A R O B J E C T I V E
S O F T H E D P G A O P E R A T I O N A L T A R G E T S F O R 2 0 2 8 M E M B E R S H I P A N D S T A K E H O
L D E R E N G A G E M E N T C O U N T R Y M E M B E R S H I P A D V O C A T I N G F O R D P G S D P G S 4 D
P I : F R O M T H E D P G C H A R T E R T O T H E 5 0 I N 5 C A M P A I G N I N F O R M A T I O N P O L L U T I
O N A I C O M M U N I T Y O F P R A C T I C E D P G R E G I S T R Y , S T A N D A R D , A N D C O M M U N I T
Y D P G S T A N D A R D A N D T E C H N I C A L I N T E G R A T I O N D P G R E G I S T R Y , P R O D U C T O

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I ATW N E R S A N D C O M M U N I T Y T H E A D P G A G S E C R E T A R I A T E N G A G E M E N T T H E D P G E
C O S Y S T E M D P G A G O V E R N I N G B O A R D C O U N T R Y M E M E B R S H I P S B A N G L A D E S H
E T H I O P I A G U A T E M A L A I N D I A R E P U B L I C O F M O L D O V A R E P U B L I C O F E S T O N I A
R W A N D A S R I L A N K A U G A N D A U S A I D O R G A N I S A T I O N A L M E M B E R S H I P S B I L L &M E L I N D A G A T E S F O U N D A T I O N D A T A . O R G E G O V F O U N D A T I O N F A O F O U N D A T I
O N F O R P U B L I C C O D E G I T H U B U N G L O B A L P U L S E O I C T I T S R I O I N T E R A M E R I C A
N D E V E L O P M E N T B A N K I T U O M I D Y A R N E T W O R K O P E N K N O W L E D G E F O U N D A T I
O N O S D D I G I T A L S Q U A R E A T P A T H P U B L I C D I G I T A L T H E R O C K E F E L L E R F O U N D
A T I O N T H O U G H T W O R K S O S E T C O N C L U S I O N S L E S S O N S L E A R N E D L O O K I N G A

S TA T E O F T H E D I G I TA L P U B L I C G O O D S E C O S Y S T E M

2023

INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

THE DPGAS T R AT E GY U P DAT E
2023–2028

Through the DPGA Secretariat’s engagement with more than 30 members, an
expanded Governing Board, hundreds of experts in CoPs, and participationin numerous conferences and events, some aspects of how we conceive of
the role of DPGs and the DPGA have shifted in the last year. In particular, wehave developed more tangible targets to complement our strategic objectives.
Through a consultation process starting in early 2023, open to all DPGA
members and other key stakeholders, the DPGA Secretariat generated a setof four targets that build on the existing objectives but provide more focus
to energise and align the DPGA membership. The strategy is an increasingly
important tool for guiding and monitoring the progress of the DPGA.

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INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEM

13

CONCLUSION

THE FIVE YEAR OBJECTIVES OF THE DPGA

1

2

3

4

DPGs with highpotential for addressing
critical development
needs and urgent
global challenges
are discoverable,
sustainably managed,
and accessible
for government
institutions and otherrelevant implementing
organisations.

UN-institutions,multilateraldevelopment banks
and other public andprivate institutions thatare of high relevancefor supporting
implementation ofdigital technologies
have the knowledge,
capacity, and incentives
to effectively promoteand support adoptionof DPGs.

Government institutions
have the information,
motivation, andcapacity to effectively
implement DPGs that
address country needs,
including to plan,
deploy, maintain, andevolve their digitalpublic infrastructure.

Countries have public
sector capacity andvibrant commercial
ecosystems in place
to create, maintain,
implement, andincubate DPGs locally.

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2023

INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEM

14CONCLUSIONO P E R AT I O N A L TA R G E T S 2 0 2 3 – 2 0 2 8

In support of the DPGA vision and objectives, thefollowing operational targets were developed in
2023 to prioritise, coordinate, and align DPGA
member and stakeholder efforts.

TA R G E T 3

TA R G E T 2

TA R G E T 1

50-in-5
By the end of 2028,
50 countries have: leveraged DPGs to design,

launch and scale at least one
component of their DPI stack, in amanner that is safe and inclusive,and enables one or more priority
use cases.

Fighting
climate change
By the end of 2028,
sustainably maintained
and highly relevant DPGs:
 have enabled diverse groupsof stakeholders to take action andimprove collaboration to fight andadapt to climate change; and are enabling long-term action

and collaboration to fight andadapt to climate change.

Fighting information
pollution andrestoring trust
By the end of 2028,
sustainably maintained
and highly relevant DPGs:
 have enabled diverse groupsof stakeholders to take action
and improve collaboration tofight information pollution andenhance information integrity;and have enabled new norm-shap-ing technologies to scale that
help restore trust and protect andadvance human rights.

TA R G E T 4

Making DPGs thenorm for preventing
and responding
to urgent global
challenges
By the end of 2028,
DPGs are part of theinternational community’s
default approach for rapidly
empowering relevant
stakeholders to prevent andrespond to urgent global
challenges, including through: a globally recognised andscalable methodology for rapidly
establishing CoPs to align onpriority topics and help identify
relevant DPGs for preventing
and responding to urgent global
challenges; and the establishment of one ormore financing instruments tofund DPGs of high-relevance forpreventing and responding tourgent global challenges.

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2023

INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONMEMBERSHIPA N D S TA K E H O L D E R
ENGAGEMENT

Membership to the DPGA grew substantially in 2023. We added 11 additional
members, 4 of which are countries, nearly doubling our membership compared
to 2022. We also introduced a series of virtual monthly member community
meetings. These gatherings provided a platform for thought leaders andmembers to showcase their DPG-related work, share learnings, and forge
connections with one another. We engaged our members in a consultation
process that led to the incorporation of the four strategic targets that will guidethe DPGA’s work over the next five years.

11
NEW MEMBERS JOINED
THE DPGA IN 2023,
N E A R LY D O U B L I N GMEMBERSHIPThe overall impact of our work fostered a more interactive andcollaborative environment, while we actively facilitated connections and collaborations. We took pivotal steps towards a more
inclusive, open, and interactive membership which culminatedat the DPGA Annual Members’ Meeting in Addis Ababa in

November. At the Members’ Meeting, nearly 150 peoplecame together to connect as a community of change-makers
dedicated to discussing a range of DPG topics, and identify new opportunities for synchronicity and collaboration.
There were 63 organisations present, including multilaterals,

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funders, think tanks, civil society organisations, and productowners alongside delegates from 15 countries. In total, theDPGA Secretariat coordinated 36 hours of programming over
3 days which included networking, workshops, presentations,panels and, of course, karaoke.
LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

2nd
DPGA ANNUAL MEMBERS’
M E E T I N G C O N V E N E D AT
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

1５0
PA R T I C I PA N T S

60
O R GA N I S AT I O N S

15COUNTRIESNext year, we plan to explore new ways to digitally showcase
our members’ work and their overall DPGA impact within theecosystem, with the aim to provide greater transparency andcapacities for members and stakeholders to learn from eachother. We will continue to foster uniquely informal but powerful spaces for people who work on DPGs to connect as acommunity and collaborate. We plan to explore fostering use
case specific matchmaking and other convening formats toallow for deeper connections and partnerships to be brokered
and new work streams to be generated. This includes giving
more visibility to the impactful collaborations between our
members and DPGs, but also working towards streamlining
the efforts of our ecosystem towards the achievement of ourstrategic targets in DPI, climate, information pollution, andurgent global challenges.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Reflecting on the instrumental contributors of our members
in 2023, we would like to acknowledge the support of theGovernment of Ethiopia, particularly their Information Netowkr
Security Agency, for co-hosting the DPGA Annual Members’Meeting and for being an exemplar of the DPGs4DPI
approach. The IDB played a crucial role in accelerating our

DPGA Co-Lead Lucy Harris opens the 2023 DPGA Annual Members’Meeting, Addis Ababa SOURCE / FL AWLESS / DPGA ANNUAL MEMBERS’ MEETING 2023

footprint in Latin America, while UNICEF and OICT were pivotal in advocating for DPGs across all levels of the UN ecosystem, including the 78th UN General Assembly.
Our commitment to our membership and stakeholder
community reflects our mission to cultivate a shared vision for
DPGs globally.

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COUNTRY MEMBERSHIPIn 2023, the DPGA welcomed and onboarded new country members. We increased
DPGA country membership with the additions of Ethiopia, Guatemala, Moldova,
and Sri Lanka. This highlights the increasing importance that countries are placing
on utilising DPGs as part of their digital transformation journeys while safeguarding
digital sovereignty.

4
MORE COUNTRIES JOINED
THE DPGA IN 2023

Country membership isparticularly importantbecause they areat the forefront ofcreating public value
and thereby making
a positive impact on asociety-wide scale

Country membership is particularly important because they areat the forefront of creating public value, thereby making a positive impact at a society-wide scale. When it comes to DPGs,
it is particularly valuable to take a global approach. Countries
around the world are making significant contributions to the
DPG ecosystem as builders, developers, implementers, andfunders. As a part of our country membership strategy, we will
actively seek diverse sources to obtain the most comprehensive and accurate perspectives.
This year, we supported countries in showcasing theirprogress—helping others learn and get inspired, connecting
countries over shared challenges, and providing learning
opportunities on key technologies and approaches. For example, we introduced countries to the X-Road DPG team, facilitateda forum on data exchange, and showcased countries’ achievements at the Tallinn Digital Summit, IGF 2023, the 50-in-5
launch, and the DPGA Annual Members’ Meeting.

LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

In 2024, efforts will be focused on delivering value tailoredto countries’ needs. This includes roundtables, knowledge
products, case studies, and more addressing topics such as
vendor ecosystem development, safeguards, laws, regulations, and strategies for overcoming coordination challenges.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In acknowledging instrumental contributions, we extend
gratitude to UNDP, CDPI, and the World Bank for their pivotal
roles in country outreach. Additionally, we recognise theinvaluable efforts of Co-Develop for their groundwork, suchas the development of the DPI tracker. Their support has been
crucial in advancing our mission and achieving the milestones we celebrate this year.

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A DV O C AT I N G F O R D P G s

DPGs4DPI: From the DPG Charterto the 50-in-5 Campaign
The DPGA’s advocacy work galvanizes the global DPG community. In 2023, this work
has prioritised DPGs4DPI, which included the culmination of the DPG Charter process
which began in 2022, and the launch of the 50-in-5 campaign.

13
COUNTRIES JOINED
50-IN-5 IN 2023

50-in5 is a countryled campaign thatsignifies a commitment
to implementing DPI ina safe, inclusive, andinteroperable manner

CULMINATION OF THE DPG CHARTERGLOBAL COOPERATION FOR IMPACTThe DPG Charter, co-led by the DPGA and DIAL, wrapped
up at the end of June. It marked a significant milestone in thejourney towards embracing DPGs as part of DPI. The Charter
brought together a diverse and dedicated community, showcasing unity and alignment on the use of OSS at events likethe Transform Africa Summit in Victoria Falls. Here, leadersfrom various sectors congregated to discuss the impactfulrole of DPGs in technology leadership, societal transformation, capacity building, and progressing towards the SDGs.
The DPG Charter, now a guiding document, continues tosteer efforts towards ensuring DPGs remain a sustainable,
secure, and inclusive foundation for DPI. We extend our
gratitude to all endorsers of the DPG Charter and to DIAL for
their leadership.

The 50-in-5 campaign formally launched on 8 November.
This country-led campaign signifies a commitment to implementing DPI in a safe, inclusive, and interoperable manner.
By the end of 2028, the goal is for 50 countries to havesuccessfully designed, launched, and scaled at least one
DPI component.
Kicked off by a group of 11 First Mover countries—
Bangladesh, Estonia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Moldova,
Norway, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, andTogo—this country-led advocacy campaign aims to havecountries come together to commit to sharing learnings,
best practices, and technologies that can ultimately reduce
costs, build local capacity, maximise impact, and help radically shorten the implementation journeys for digital public18

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infrastructure. Shortly following the November launch, boththe Dominican Republic and Malawi joined the campaign.
LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

50-in-5 has the potential
to transform the livesof billions of people
and stimulate regional
cooperation, placing
DPGs at the forefront

In the coming year, 50-in-5 will focus on expanding its reachand inviting more countries to join the campaign, regardless of geography, income level, or their digital maturity.
Through networking and convenings, the campaign willaddress potential risks of digital monopolies and disjointed
ecosystems, advocating for a harmonised approach to DPI
with safety, inclusiveness, and interoperability at the centre.
Countries will be defining what success looks like in each of
their contexts, and will be working together on similar use
cases to help speed up each other’s adoption journeys. Byprioritising the implementation of DPGs and sharing bestpractices, 50-in-5 aims to reduce inequalities and build
resilient economies, setting a path for a future where digitaltransformation is not just a vision but a tangible, globally
inclusive reality.
This campaign has the potential to transform the lives ofbillions of people and stimulate regional cooperation, placing DPGs at the forefront. The launch of 50-in-5 aligns with
the DPI draft target in the DPGA five year strategy, and canserve as a blueprint for future cross-organisation and country-led collaborations.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Instrumental contributors to our work this year also included all
the 50-in-5 First Mover countries, the IDB, and UNDP for theirassistance in onboarding countries. Special appreciation goes

Yodahe Zemichael, Executive Director of National ID Ethiopia
SOURCE / FL AWLESS / DPGA MEMBERS MEETING 2023

to Sierra Leone for soft launching 50-in-5 at SDG Digital Day
during the 78th UN General Assembly high-level week.
Many thanks to partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation, CDPI, Co-Develop, and UNDP, in addition to
supporting entities including GovStack Initiative, the IDB, andUNICEF.

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Information Pollution
OSS can play a critical role in the fight against mis- and disinformation, particularly incountries with weak governance systems, or those experiencing conflict or crisis where
information pollution can have catastrophic effects.

Well designed, opensource tools can not
only be adapted tomeet context-specificneeds but also offer the
distinct advantage ofeasy adoption, making
them suitable fordiverse environments

The DPGA and UNDP teamed up in late 2022 and early 2023
to promote the transformative power of technology by surfacing OSS that can help strengthen information integrity. Welldesigned, open-source tools can not only be adapted to meetcontext-specific needs but also offer the distinct advantage ofeasy adoption, making them suitable for diverse environments.
The DPGA and UNDP issued a global call for OSS, receiving 99 submissions. From them, nine innovative solutions
were selected to receive funding up to US$ 10,000 andwere showcased at the Nobel Prize Summit, “Truth, Trust, andHope” in Washinton, DC. The Summit offered a platform forpotential partners and funders to engage with and support thesolutions, and underscored the collaborative spirit of stakeholders and technologies needed to address the challenges of
information pollution.
These solutions were selected by a group of mis- and disinformation practitioners for their novel approaches to addressing information pollution and focused on areas like combating
deep fakes, providing transparency on big tech policies,
verifying crowdsourced data, and improving access to reliable
information, which are instrumental in fostering a trustworthy
digital experience and strengthening information integrity.

Individuals from UC Berkeley, DPGA Secretariat, Media Cloud, Open
Knowledge Brasil, Tattle, UNDP, and Ushahidi alongside campaign
co-chair Nicole Tisdale at the Nobel Prize Summit, Washington DC
SOURCE / UNDP

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CONCLUSION

Congratulations to the following selected projects

Ad Observatory

Media Cloud

Querido Diario

Developed at NYU, this tool enhancestransparency in digital political advertisingon Facebook, crucial for combating disinformation in elections. It has been instrumental
for reporters and researchers in analysing
advertising practices, and plans are underway
for expansion to European elections.

This system offers a vast repository of online
news media content, enabling users to study
and mitigate information pollution across theglobal media landscape. Media Cloud’s expansion into social media platforms enhances its
research capabilities, aiding journalists andacademics.

By Open Knowledge Brazil, this projectdemocratises access to official decision-making acts across Brazil’s cities. It tackles thechallenge of unstructured information in
official gazettes, promoting transparency andinformed analysis.

Deep Fake Fingerprint

Open Terms Archive

RegretsReporter

A UC Berkeley-led concept, this project aims
to create unique identity fingerprints for voiceauthentication, countering the spread ofconvincing fake audio content. It’s a significant
step towards protecting public figures andgeneral internet users from misinformation.

This digital common archives online service
terms in multiple languages, promoting transparency, and empowering users to challenge
unfair practices. It is a critical resource forunderstanding and influencing the rules of
online services.

A Mozilla Foundation initiative, this browser
extension enables crowdsourced investigation
into YouTube’s recommendation algorithm. It
brings transparency to content recommendations, aiding in reducing information pollution.

FeludaPhoenix

Ushahidi

Developed by Build Up and datavaluepeople,
Phoenix aids peace builders in understanding
digital conflicts by scraping and organising
digital content. This tool bridges online andoffline divides, fostering constructive dialogue
in conflict settings.

This platform empowers citizens to generate ground-level data, crucial in areas likeelections and humanitarian crises. Ushahidi’s
crowdsourcing and mapping tools play avital role in ensuring information integrity anddriving systemic change.

DPG

Created by Tattle, this engine addresses misinformation on image and video-heavy social
media platforms, especially in Indian languages. The multimodal analysis capabilities ofFeluda make it a vital tool for researchers andfact-checkers working with diverse, regional
content.

DPG

DPG

DPG

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

An extended thank you to Omidyar Network, theGovernment of Norway, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies
for their generous support of this initiative. Additionally,

CONCLUSION

we are grateful to our panel of experts who helped assess
the submissions; Alex Krasodomski, Alice Munyua, Alicia
Wanless, Linda Bonyo, Marci Harris, Nicole Tisdale, Nien-hê
Hsieh, R. Marie Santini, and Ryan Merkley.

Community of Practice on AI Systems as DPGs
Throughout the year, the AI CoP, co-hosted by the DPGA Secretariat and UNICEF,
engaged a diverse group of 40+ stakeholders from various backgrounds andgeographies to explore the intersection of responsible and open-source AI systems.

A nuanced
understanding is
crucial to safeguarding
the benefits of open
source in AI systems
while protecting
fundamental rights
and ensuring thedevelopment ofsafe systems

Together, the CoP developed a gradient approach to theopenness of AI system components, which was well-received
in the community. This approach informed related processes,
such as the Open Source Initiative’s work on defining opensource AI and OKFN’s work on redefining openness in the
21st century. Additionally, the team compiled a comprehensive
list of frameworks and tools for responsible, inclusive, andsafe AI development, proposing their inclusion in the DPG
Standard to enhance the review of AI systems as DPGs.
KEY LEARNINGS INCLUDE ACTIVELYINVOLVING DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIESThe AI CoP ultimately overcame challenges related to theoverwhelming volume of AI policy papers, articles, andframeworks and the need for diverse representation in the
CoP. Key learnings from these challenges emphasise theimportance of navigating through the information overload
and actively involving individuals from different geographiesand under-resourced contexts.
The result of this work is a refined understanding of AI
systems as DPGs and helpful insights on how to capture this in
the DPG Standard. The development of the gradient approachto openness in particular sheds light on the nuances between
strictly proprietary and strictly open AI systems, contributing
to a more nuanced debate beyond licensing. This nuanced
understanding is crucial to safeguarding the benefits of open
source in AI systems while protecting fundamental rights andensuring the development of safe systems.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONLOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

Next year, the AI CoP will continue monitoring the opensource AI governance debate, and a new process and expert
group will be introduced to ensure that these developments
are adequately reflected in the DPG Standard. We are alsoplanning a discoverability campaign for AI DPGs, further
work on generative AI and DPGs, and to explore the intersection of AI and digital public infrastructure.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to UNICEF, Open Future, UNESCO, GIZ, andTattle for their instrumental contributions and continuous support of the AI CoP. Their engagement, comments on papers,
participation in brainstorming calls, and thought leadershiphave been essential to mapping out the field and advancing
the goals of the AI CoP.
Lea Gimpel, Senior Policy Manager, Countries, Resource Mobilization,
and AI presents at the DPGA Annual Members’ Meeting, Addis Ababa
SOURCE / FL AWLESS / DPGA ANNUAL MEMBERS’ MEETING 2023

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIOND P G R E G I S T R Y, S TA N D A R D , A N D C O M M U N I T Y

DPG Standard and Technical Integration
In 2023 the DPGA onboarded new team members, enhancing our technicalcapabilities and leadership. We prioritised documentation efforts, systematicallydetailing the system architecture for DPGA products and the deployment process.
DEPLOYING NEW FEATURES FOR THE
TECHNICAL INTEGRATION OF DPGs

We drafted a new
structure for theRegistry API, designed
a new platform structure
for the entire DPGA
product portfolio,
and collaborated with
the DPGA Members
Advisory Committee todevelop a new digital
Roadmap productIn 2023, the team introduced a new test site for the Review
Portal, updated and upgraded the Amazon Web Server,
and focused on improving user experience by fixing DPGA
product bugs and deploying new features on GitHub. We also
drafted a new structure for the Registry API, designed a newplatform structure for the entire DPGA product portfolio, andcollaborated with the DPGA Members Advisory Committee todevelop a new digital Roadmap product.
This work was substantial. The results are streamlined development processes, improved documentation, and a comprehensive roadmap for the development of the DPGA productportfolio over the next 15 months. It also facilitated the assessment of new technologies for integration with DPGA products.
The process of understanding a new ecosystem highlighted
the critical importance of well-documented processes for the

success and maintenance of open source and multi-stakeholder projects. By collaborating as a team, we brainstormed
practical processes and tech solutions, initiating our journeywith a roadmap that positions us to develop a safe, empowering, and enabling platform for our members, product owners,
and DPG end users.
ADVANCING THE USE AND MANAGEMENT
OF THE DPG STANDARD

Over the course of 2023, the DPGA made significant
advancements in our use and management of the DPG
Standard, including building a broader community aroundthe DPG Standard through expert groups on specific issues
faced by prospective DPG applicants. Expert groups include
subject matter experts from various industries including technical, business operations, and legal sectors who will advise
on ways to improve specific aspects of the DPG Standard.

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Recommended changes will be taken up by the DPG Standard
Council, an impartial body, who will decide on any final
improvements. During the DPGA Annual Members’ Meeting,
we launched a call for nominations for co-convenors for expert
groups on three topics: Indicator 7: Privacy and applicable
laws; Indicator 9(a): Data Privacy & Security; and Indicator 9(b&c) Do no harm by design.
LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

Next year, in addition to launching the DPG Standard expert
groups, we plan to rollout features and capabilities on the new
DPGA digital platform, and upgrade the Registry API, which
will serve as a foundation for the DPG and open-source community to build upon.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to the members of our Advisory Committee.
Their invaluable contributions helped validate our hypotheses regarding user insights and provided crucial advice on
developing features to assist both members and the DPGA
Secretariat in the membership onboarding and management
process, and in identifying changes to the DPG Standard. We
extend our gratitude to Maurice Rwamigabo, Elena Findley-deRegt, Sergio Bogazzi, Thao Hong, Christopher Szymczak,
Cheryl Ng, and Pamod Amarakoon for their dedication andinsights.

Members and product owners learn how to use the DPG Standard to
become recognised as a DPG SOURCE / FL AWLESS / DPGA ANNUAL MEMBERS’MEETING 2023

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONDPG Registry, Product Owners
and Community Engagement
Throughout 2023, we identified and recognised new DPGs in key areas such as DPI,
climate change, information pollution, and AI. We also developed a comprehensive
DPG community strategy, engagement process, and launched the DPG Community
Center.
The DPG Community Center serves as a centralised repository for all documentation and a hub where DPG maintainers,
product owners, contributors, and others can find opportunities, collaborate, and share with fellow community members.
Furthermore, we fostered DPG collaborations and programswith DPGA members, contributing to DPG development, andestablishing partnerships with strategic stakeholders to promote DPGs globally. We consolidated DPG resources andknowledge hubs around topics such as maturity, open standards, AI systems, and platform independence, all related to the
DPG Standard and open source development.
ADVANCING THE DPG ECOSYSTEM THROUGH
COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND NEW INITIATIVES

80+
NEW DPGs ADDED TO THE
DPG REGISTRY IN 2023

We added 80+ new DPGs to the DPG Registry, spanning categories like open data, open content, and open AI. Introducing
the DPG Product Owner community forums, discussions,meetups, calls, newsletters, and office hours proved highly
successful, with participants collectively sharing numerous

funding and advocacy opportunities, events, awards, andprizes. Collaborations on programs such as Hactoberfest
2023 and the GitHub DPG Open Source Community Manager
Program showcased extensive engagement with DPGs andstrategic initiatives. Our participation in events like the Nobel
Prize Summit, IGF, FOSDEM, the Creative Commons Summit,
and showcasing DPGs with IDB further strengthened our presence and impact.
NAVIGATING CHALLENGES AND
FOCUSING ON ADVOCACY

Despite our successes, we still encounter challenges related
to adoption and use of DPGs, particularly when open-sourceand procurement processes are unfamiliar. Successful advocacy and outreach efforts will continue to help dispel misconceptions and promote the benefits of DPGs. Additionally,
managing relationships and ensuring the effective operationof projects, which often rely on community contributors andsupport from donors, pose ongoing challenges.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONLOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

Next year, the DPG community can anticipate improvements to
the DPG nomination and renewal experience, along with more
useful resources and streamlined paths for DPGs to enhancetheir projects within the focus areas of the DPG Standard. We
will also launch more engagement opportunities for DPGs
by sectoral and regional relevance, fostering collaboration
among DPGs addressing similar problems and working in thesame geographies.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Instrumental contributors to our work this year included DPGA
members such as IDB, GitHub, UNICEF, UNDP, Foundation
for Public Code, OKFN, OSI, and Thoughtworks. Additionally,
key DPGs like Ushahidi DPG, Decidim DPG, ODK DPG,
KoboToolbox DPG, Consul Democracy DPG, DHIS2 DPG,
OpenSPP DPG, OpenCRVS DPG, NotesMaster DPG, OpenFn DPG,
MOSIP DPG, X-Road DPG, and Sunbird DPG played essential roles
in advancing our initiatives and goals.

DPGs were prominent at key international forums this year, including at
the Internet Governance Forum, Kyoto SOURCE / IGF FLICKR

27

DP G

S P OT LI G H T

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NotesMaster is an eLearning platform thatoffers training and support to teachers, enabling them to create digital lessons alignedwith local curricula. It facilitates a collaborative and adaptable educational environment
where these digital lessons can be accessed,
modified, and peer-reviewed by teachers
from various countries, fostering a sustainable development of new digital educational
content.

Strengthening Education in the
Caribbean and Africa
In 2021 NotesMaster spearheaded a DPG
pilot in the Caribbean, which included
six countries: Dominica, Antigua andBarbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada,
Barbados, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
NotesMaster collaborated with their respective Ministries of Education with the coreaim of improving existing ICT capabilities,
through the creation of a suite of locallyauthored digital learning resources for the
primary and secondary levels of the school
system. Each collaborating ministry of education is now implementing these resources
with a unique apparatus that matches theirlocal civic and cultural values. Given theeasily replicable nature of digital assets, other
Caribbean countries can share information
across borders and readily reproduce thecreated resources to meet their demands.
Presently, 10 million students have benefited
from the DPG pilot, with an ambitious objective of reaching 30 million students by 2030.
NotesMaster is proud to support DPGs in
Sub-Saharan Africa to enable wider accessto locally. Throughout 2023, NotesMasterteams have collaborated with the ministries of

10mn

30mn

STUDENTS BENEFITEDS T U D E N T S TA R G E T E D

BY NOTESMASTER

BY 2030

education in Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, andEswatini, to broaden their digital reach andbring new educators and learners on board.
They presented workshops to educators to
guide and instruct them on how to use AI
effectively in content creation. The sharing of
this content as a DPG can foster a sustainablemultiplier effect that can lead to systemicchanges in education that are rooted at a
local level. The NotesMaster’s DPI model iscurrently providing free and open access toover 7 million primary, secondary, and adultlearners in Africa. Empowering educators toremix existing content has led to growth incapacity amongst key persons, as highlighted
in the NotesMaster partnership with Zambia’s
Ministry of Education, where the benefits ofintroducing open educational resources during COVID-19 are having a lasting impact.

Addressing Gender Abuse: Advancing
the European Union Spotlight Initiative
NotesMaster has been supporting the
Spotlight Initiative since 2021 in its mission toeradicate all forms of abuse against womenand girls, with an emphasis on developing
pupils who are well-rounded and have a highregard for themselves and their peers. Thisinitiative helps to mould children’s attitudes,
values, and behaviours using a variety ofdigital games, virtual manipulatives, and other
differentiated learning activities that also
assist teachers in bringing knowledge acrosscreatively and innovatively to learners.

A C R O N Y M S I N T R O D U C T I O N D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T E R F R O M T H E D P G
A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T
E R F R O M T H E D P G A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 T H E D P G A S E C R
E T A R I A T T H E D P G A S T R A T E G Y U P D A T E 2 0 2 3 – 2 0 2 8 T H E F I V E Y E A R O B J E C T I V E
S O F T H E D P G A O P E R A T I O N A L T A R G E T S F O R 2 0 2 8 M E M B E R S H I P A N D S T A K E H O
L D E R E N G A G E M E N T C O U N T R Y M E M B E R S H I P A D V O C A T I N G F O R D P G S D P G S 4 D
P I : F R O M T H E D P G C H A R T E R T O T H E 5 0 I N 5 C A M P A I G N I N F O R M A T I O N P O L L U T I
O N A I C O M M U N I T Y O F P R A C T I C E D P G R E G I S T R Y , S T A N D A R D , A N D C O M M U N I T
Y D P G S T A N D A R D A N D T E C H N I C A L I N T E G R A T I O N D P G R E G I S T R Y , P R O D U C T O

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMW N E R S A N D C O M M U N I T Y E N T H E V D P G S E C O S Y S T E M G A G E M E N T T H E D P G E C O S
Y S T E M D P G A G O V E R N I N G B O A R D C O U N T R Y M E M E B R S H I P S B A N G L A D E S H E T H
I O P I A G U A T E M A L A I N D I A R E P U B L I C O F M O L D O V A R E P U B L I C O F E S T O N I A R W A
N D A S R I L A N K A U G A N D A U S A I D O R G A N I S A T I O N A L M E M B E R S H I P S B I L L & M E L I
N D A G A T E S F O U N D A T I O N D A T A . O R G E G O D P G A V F O U N D A T I O N F A O F O U N D A T I
O N F O R P U B L I C C O D E G D T H U B U N G L O B A L G O V E R N I N G P U L S E O I C T I T S R I O I N T
E R A M E R I C A N D E V E L O P M E N T B A N K I T U O B O A R D M I D Y A R N E T W O R K O P E N K N O
W L E D G E F O U N D A T I O N O S D D I G I T A L S Q U A R E A T P A T H P U B L I C D I G I T A L T H E R O
C K E F E L L E R F O U N D A T I O N T H O U G H T W O R K S O S E T C O N C L U S I O N S L E S S O N S L E

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GIZ works on behalf of the German government, on activities in the areas of economic
development, environmental sustainability, health, education, governance, and more.
GIZ’s goal is to contribute to improving living conditions in partner countries andfostering global cooperation for sustainable development.
ENHANCING LEARNING AND EDUCATION

In 2023, GIZ has been actively engaged in implementing
DPGs and open source, in the field of education. First,
through atingi, a free online learning platform and open
educational resource for use and re-use. The aim is to promote
the creation of open educational resources as part of digitallearning and capacity development activities in international
cooperation projects. This project is currently being scaled,with the objective of incubating DPGs.
Second, GIZ has been managing and promoting open educational resources catalogues that allow for seamless use andre-use of quality-approved courses for localization and adaptations for project-specific situations. The focus is on managing
and promoting a catalogue of open educational resources thatfacilitates easy use and adaptation of quality-approved courses
for specific project needs.
This year GIZ successfully published numerous eLearning
courses for use and re-use on publicly available and managed

distribution channels including eLearning courses manged byatinigi by various global projects and organisations. This is incontrast to many larger international organisations that tend tocopyright their eLearning courses, potentially blocking collaborations and limiting access to high-impact courses. This situation results in fewer people in the Global South in particular
who are able to benefit from valuable educational resources.
The key learning from this challenge is the importance offostering open access and collaboration in the development
and sharing of educational content in order to maximise its
positive impact, particularly in regions with limited access tosuch resources.
VALIDATING STANDARDS ON CRVS AND SOCIALPROTECTION INFORMATION SYSTEMS

GIZ funds the development of digital standards for social
protection to connect DPGs with social protection systems. Exchange formats like “Talking Interoperability” and30

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEM“Interoperability in Action” were conducted to focus on thechallenges and solutions in countries and find potential interoperability scenarios for standard development.
A significant achievement was the kickoff of Digital
Convergence Initiative’s (DCI) first standards committee inJune, which contributed to standardising the interoperability
between CRVS systems and social protection management
information systems. This was followed by a public review
phase, where a global call for feedback led to the collaborative development and subsequent publication of the firstversion for the standard of the CRVS with social protection
management information systems interface.
After the successful consensus building effort with the firststandards committee on CRVS and social protection information systems, GIZ is now setting up standards committees forthe social protection information system interaction with the
integrated beneficiary registry, as well as the social registry.
HOSTING “INTEROPERABILITY IN ACTION”
WORKSHOPS

GIZ funds thedevelopment of digitalstandards for social
protection to connect
DPGs with social
protection systems

DCI hosted five “Interoperability in Action” workshops, showcasing practical interoperability use cases, technical demonstrations and discussions on how to effectively integratevarious system like integrated beneficiary, social, disability
registries, ID systems, and farmer registries. These workshops
were crucial in demonstrating the practical applications ofinteroperability in SP systems, providing participants withtangible insights and strategies to implement in their respective domains.

CONCLUSIONGOVSTACK: DEVELOP BUILDING BLOCKSSPECIFICATIONS, SANDBOX, USE CASESPROTOTYPES AND COUNTRY ENGAGEMENT

GovStack aims to break down the barriers to building sustainable digital infrastructure and help governments createhuman-centered digital services that empower individuals
and improve well-being.
GovStack has published: the next version of the GovStacktechnical specifications; four reference use cases; and threee-learning courses, making digital skills more accessible.
Aditionally, the digital testing environment sandbox launched
as well as the GovStack Women in GovTech Challenge.
GovStack is now, through various partners, present in 19
countries, building strongly on regional collaboration.
LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

Looking ahead, GIZ’s DPG and open source related work in
the education sector with continue, with a focus on open educational resource principals and the management of growing
quality assured catalogues of resources.

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EkStep Foundation is a non-profit based in India that focuses on education and learning
initiatives. It was co-founded by Nandan Nilekani, the co-founder of Infosys, andRohini Nilekani with the aim to address education system challenges and promotelearning opportunities for all, especially in the context of digital technologies. EkStep
Foundation joined the DPGA Governing Board in November.
In 2023, EkStep Foundation’s DPG-related activities reflect a
commitment to harnessing human capital for inclusive growth,
including:
HARNESSING HUMAN CAPITALFOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH

Sunbird DPG provides a toolbox of building blocks and an
approach that has led to impactful transformations in various
sectors and geographies. It powers initiatives like DIKSHA,
the flagship school education program of the Government ofIndia, and SUVAS, an initiative by the Supreme Court of India.

ACCELERATING EDUCATION AND
SKILLING TRANSFORMATION

Launched in 2023, ONEST aims to provide equitable accessto learning experiences and livelihood opportunities. The
network is live with financial support initiatives for specificgroups, such as children of auto-drivers and delivery agents.
CELEBRATING CHILDHOOD, KEEP GROWING

Bachpan Manao Badhte Jao’s objective is to incubate DPGs
that generate a societal-level narrative for early childhood andfoundational years. It involves creating, curating, and sharing
resources, knowledge, and tools as public goods.

PEOPLE CENTRIC DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

PeoplePlus aims to spark conversations and partnerships thatdrive people-centric transformations using DPI. The initiative
has brought together diverse communities, including civilsociety, government, and businesses.

USING AI IN DPG / DPI FOR EDUCATIONThis inclusive AI initiative aims to evolve or adapt DPGs for
new contexts. It focuses on removing language and literacy

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barriers and enabling the dissemination of information about
policies and benefits.
This year, EkStep Foundation’s work on DPGs enabled
access to quality education for rural students, empowered
stakeholders with performance data, and launched initiatives
like SUVAS for improved access to justice. They also collaborated with MOSIP DPG for enhanced observability, launched theDigital Credential Stack, used Sunbird DPG for OpenG2P’s DPG
financial mapper system, and collaborated with DIGIT DPG for
healthcare and governance programs.
This year, India assumed the G20 presidency and showcased DIKSHA as a crucial DPI, catalysing transformativechanges in the country’s education sector.
LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

EkStep Foundation
collaborated with
MOSIP for enhanced
observability,
launched the Digital
Credential Stack,used Sunbird for
OpenG2P’s financial
mapper system, andcollaborated with
DIGIT for healthcare
and governanceprograms

Next year, EkStep Foundation will continue to promote DPI,
facilitating the creation of a DPG tech enabler ecosystem,
onboarding AI advances to Sunbird DPG, and scaling ONEST.
They will also scale key initiatives like ONEST and Bachpan
Manao Badhte Jao, accelerating the adoption of DPGs forverifiable digital credentials, and enhance AI-based DPGs forremoving language and literacy barriers.

The ONEST network is live with financial support initiatives for specificgroups, such as children of auto-drivers and delivery agents SOURCE / ALEXISRODRIGUEZ / UNSPL ASH

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Norad is the governmental agency responsible for coordinating and implementing
Norway’s international development policy, operating under the Norwegian Ministry ofForeign Affairs. Norad is a founding member of the DPGA, and supports, creates, andshares DPGs as part of their efforts to support the SDGs.
Throughout 2023, Norad has continued financial support toboth core teams and DPG implementations, including throughpartnerships with other DPGA members. Norway has alsojoined the 50-in-5 campaign as a First Mover country, andcontinue to demonstrate their leadership in the area of climatechange adaptation.
ADVOCATING FOR CORE FUNDING IMPLEMENTATION

One of the foremost ways that Norway supports the DPG
ecosystem is via core funding—unrestricted financial support
provided to a central project to cover basic operational andadministrative costs. A lack of core funding has been identified by the DPG product owner community as a fundamental
sustainability challenge. Norway provides core funding to
DPGs including MOSIP DPG, OpenCRVS DPG, DHIS2 DPG in
addition to the open-source project, Global Digital Library.
 MOSIP DPG offers countries modular and open-source
technology to build and own their national identity systems.

It is used in 11 countries and by more than 75 commercial
partners.
 OpenCRVS DPG is designed to integrate data from multiple
government systems, such as health information systems andpopulation registers. It aims to address challenges like thenearly 25% of children that remain unregistered at birth.
 DHIS2 DPG is an open source, web-based platform, and is
widely known as the world’s largest health information system,
in use by 80 countries.
 The Global Digital Library provides free, high-quality educational resources for anyone, anywhere, with a vision to create
an individual learning environment for each child.
In addition to core funding, Norway provides additional
funding support to organisations who support countries implementing DPGs. This includes UNDP, UNICEF and the WorldBank in addition to DPGs and their teams like IIIT-B / MOSIP DPG,
OpenCRVS DPG, and HISP / DHIS2 DPG; and the World Bank.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONBUILDING AND SHARING DPGs FOR GLOBAL IMPACT

Norway is a builder of DPGs, sharing their learnings with others. As a First Mover country in the 50-in-5 campaign, Norway
has committed to this effort over the next five years to develop
their DPI and share the experience along the way.
Norway is currently developing the 3rd generation of
Altinn DPG, a platform for dialogue between businesses,
citizens, and the government, as a DPG. Part of Norway’s
commitment to 50-in-5 is based on making Altinn DPG available
for other countries, and a commitment to create a global community for DPG-powered DPI. The decision has already led
to improved collaboration within the government, prompting
increased coordination of domestic and international work.
OPEN EARTH PLATFORM INITIATIVE: HARNESSING
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND CLIMATE ACTION

OpenEPI is an open,
global digital platformthat will help supportand kickstart thecreation of innovative
solutions for climate
and nature resilience

At the DPGA Annual Members’ Meeting, Norad, alongside
Knowit, Capto, Open Futures, and Creative Commons,launched the Open Earth Platform Initiative (OpenEPI).
OpenEPI is an open, global digital platform that will help kickstart the creation of innovative solutions for climate and natureresilience. Their mission is to support local innovation fuelled
by a global platform of open data, technology, and AI. This isa pre-project for the creation of secure, long-term storage ofhigh-value datasets related to nature and climate, and an open,
global digital innovation platform for climate and nature.
LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

In 2024, Norad will continue to support DPGs and DPG
implementations, and provide broader support throughout theChrister Gundersen announces OpenEPI at the DPGA Annual Members’Meeting, Addis Ababa SOURCE /DPG ecosystem. Norad will complete the OpenEPI pilot whichkicked off in November. They will also undertake an exploration of what DPGs or digital architecture means in a humanitarian or peace-building context, with more details to come next
year. Finally, Norad will continue to push for cross-sectoral
investments, which are not the norm in the sector, and will
collaborate with other DPG members in this pursuit.

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Sierra Leone’s DSTI delivers on its national development plan to transform into an
innovation and entrepreneurship hub. In 2023, DSTI became a 50-in-5 First Mover
country, advocated for DPGs at local universities, and ran digital training events.
LEADERSHIP IN LAUNCHING 50-IN-5 CAMPAIGNLEADING TRAINING EVENTS AND

The launch and workshop event was a 3 in 1 event witnessedby 50 young Sierra Leonean Innovators and tech enthusiasts tosee and learn how best they can contribute to the DPI efforts in
Sierra Leone, learn about the importance of country collaboration, and learn from each other. The focus was on adoption
and sharing of DPGs, looking at locally driven innovation andvalue creation, and of empowering young people as creatorsof today and tomorrow’s DPIs and DPGs.

HACKATHONS AT DIGITAL LEARNING HUBS

The goal of these events was to develop and deploy a smallscale enabling environment to engender the growth of all
DPG activities. This enabling environment is accomplishedby integrating digital fabrication tools and techniques into
the existing Digital Learning Hubs in Sierra Leone. There
were 3d printing hackathons to provide participants with theopportunity to acquire first-hand knowledge of the technology before utilisation.

ADVOCATING FOR DPGs ACROSS THE NATIONThis year, DSTI advocated for DPGs at a series of universities
nationwide. Emphasis was placed on engaging universities
and Digital Learning Hubs, thus building on the foundationof previous advocacy efforts. The events garnered attention
from university students and local tech enthusiasts, signallinga strong demand for such knowledge. The goal of this work is
to inspire more DPG enthusiasts to pursue and develop tools
based on the DPG Standard.

LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

Next year, DSTI will continue to advocate for DPGs and aims
to make additional contributions to the DPG Registry. DSTI
has several solutions that would like to open source as DPGs
as well.
UNICEF is DSTI’s local partner and another DPGA member.
Most of DSTI’s DPG activities are done collaboratively, including raining and advocacy activities.

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UNDP continues to champion DPGs as open and interoperable solutions, whichcountries can safely and effectively adopt to address pressing global challenges. This
includes how countries design and implement DPI, where DPGs are increasingly being
used to lower implementation costs and expand access to ensure no one is left behind.
STRENGTHENING THE VALUE PROPOSITION OF DPGs

UNDP has beenoffering direct
country support
and advocating
for responsive
governance andsafeguards that put
people at the centre

Building on 2022’s gathering of world leaders at the 77th UN
General Assembly, UNDP committed to strengthening thevalue proposition of DPGs. One avenue was through India’s
G20 Presidency, where UNDP served as the Government’s
official knowledge partner on DPI. The discussions amongst
countries culminated in an internationally-agreed language on
DPI that underscored the importance of open standards andspecifications.
DPGs also took centre stage at this year’s SDG Digital
event, co-sponsored by ITU and UNDP. Representatives acrossgovernments, the private sector, and civil society sharedsuccess stories and emerging opportunities to better leverage
DPGs during the high-impact initiative session on DPI. Thissaw the mobilisation of an initial tranche of US$ 400 million toempower countries with people-centred DPI solutions.
STREAMLINING DPGs ACROSS
UNDP’S DEVELOPMENT WORKUNDP has been streamlining the DPG approach through its
development work across 130 countries. Ranging from distinct
CoPs to a network of more than 200 digital advocates, UNDP
has explored various means to facilitate the discovery of
DPGs for sustainable development. In particular, DPGs’ common principle of openness is embedded in UNDP’s Digital
Standards, which provide guidance for UNDP teams aroundthe world on best practices to consider when creating digitalsolutions for development.

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170
S TO R I E S FACT - C H E C K E D
USING iVERIFY

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UNDP acknowledges that successful implementations of
DPGs require local digital ecosystems that are both robust
and resilient. For instance, where local partners can tap into
the global DPG ecosystem to enhance their knowledge
about existing solutions, contribute local solutions, and use
their contextual local knowledge to assess what solutions areappropriate for replication.
UNDP has been offering direct country support andadvocating for responsive governance and safeguards thatput people at the centre. At the 78th UN General Assembly,
UNDP launched the Model Governance Framework for Legal
Digital ID (a public good that was built with 30 experts andmore than 80 ID governance best practices, and made accessible for the first time through a chatbot) and the Universal
Safeguards for DPI—a joint initiative with the OSET aimed atensuring global protection of fundamentals rights with respect
to DPI design and implementations worldwide.
UNDP continues to support the mission and strategic
direction of the DPGA, for instance in working with partners
to amplify the recently launched 50-in-5 campaign, a country-led advocacy endeavour aimed at helping 50 countries
design, launch, and scale at least one component of their DPI
by 2028.
UNDP continues to demonstrate its commitment to thedevelopment and implementation of DPGs to address global
challenges.
iVERIFY TACKLES MISINFORMATION IN 5+ COUNTRIESAn automated fact-checking tool using AI and human fact
checking to combat the spread of false narratives during

CONCLUSION

The high impact initiative session on DPI kicked off efforts to secure
financing and technology for DPI design, development and implementation at scale, including through the use of DPGs SOURCE / UNDP

election periods. Scaled to Kenya, Liberia, Honduras, Zambia,
and Sierra Leone.
 In 2023, it was modelled as an exemplar during the Nobel
Prize Summit sponsored campaign focused on sourcing DPGs
that can help combat information pollution and restore information integrity.
 In 2023, it was launched in Sierra Leone and has successfully fact-checked 170 stories to date, including 40 during

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election week, and played a widely recognised role during the2023 election campaign.
OPENG2P COMPLETES SOCIAL WELFARE DIGITALPAYMENTS PILOT

An open-source platform that enables governments andhumanitarian organisations to deliver critical benefits directly
to those who need them. Scaling in Sierra Leone, Iraq, Sri
Lanka, Afghanistan, The Philippines, and Malawi.
 In 2023, OpenG2P DPG successfully completed a social welfare digital payments pilot for Filipinos using the Philippines
Identification System (PhilSys) digital ID.
DiCRA ADOPTED BY INDIA’S NATIONAL BANK FOR
AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

A platform providing intelligence on climate resilienceat the farm level to strengthen food systems and security.
Implemented in Telangana province in India.
 In 2023, it was adopted by India’s National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development where it will be further
enhanced, disseminated, and used for policy-making andresearch.
UN BIODIVERSITY LAB ENGAGES 140+ COUNTRIES140+
COUNTRIES ENGAGED ON
THE UN BIODIVERSITYL A B ’ S S E C U R E W O R K S PAC E

UN Biodiversity Lab DPG is a mapping platform facilitating
open access to spatial data and analytics that can inform
evidence-based decisions for nature, climate, and sustainable
development. In use by around 2,500 registered users across
153 countries who can create secure workspaces to upload
and manage national data.

CONCLUSION

 In 2023, the platform was updated to align with the mile-stone Global Biodiversity Framework of the UN Biodiversity
Convention, including new data and features to support governments to plan, monitor, and report on global targets to put
nature on a path to recovery by 2030.
NATIONAL CARBON REGISTRY ESTABLISHES CoPThe National Carbon Registry DPG is a software allowing countries to effectively manage national data and processes for
trading carbon credits. Piloted in Namibia and Ghana.
 In 2023, a dedicated CoP was established to further its
development. The community is composed of more than 100
members that meet regularly to discuss climate transparency
systems and the implementation of the system in countries.
 Namibia’s prototype of the registry was showcased this year
at COP28.

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UNICEF is a leader in DPGs, particularly in the areas of innovation, youth engagement,
and AI. They are advocates for children and young people—the future generation
to whom DPGs and DPI will cater—to be recognised and resourced as co-designers,
maintainers, and owners of the future DPG and DPI ecosystem.
This year, UNICEF reframed their DPG strategy under threeworkstreams: DPG X Youth; DPG4DPI for Children; andWEB3 for DPGs. They are leading the DPG-ecosystem ininvesting in young innovators to create sustainable DPGsand directly provide development support for 4-5 products
which aim to become DPGs in 2024. UNICEF is continuing
to support and scale up existing DPGs RapidPro DPG, Oky DPG,
and Primero DPG, and are developing Djenga, a new DPG
maturity-assessment tool. In 2023, UNICEF supported young
DPG owners and entrepreneurs at events, championing
their work and lifting their voices. This included a 78th UN
General Assembly high-level side event at UNICEF headquarters: “Youth, the Innovation Architects of our Digital Future”;
an event in Kazakhstan for startups and students on DPG
monetization business models; a session called, “Youth-Led
Innovation: Driving Digital Public Goods in Ghana” at Ghana
Digital Innovation Week in November; and many more.

Throughout 2023, UNICEF’s DPG work has included:
DPG X YOUTHDPG X Youth promotes, incubates, and funds DPGs developed by the next generation of DPI designers, users, maintainers, and owners. This workstream raises digital sovereignty
and open-source awareness among youth by adding the DPG
concept to local digital upskilling curricula. The goal is to build
youth’s capacity to become today’s designers and tomorrow’s
maintainers and owners of DPGs and DPI. By providing equity-free funding through the UNICEF Venture Fund to youthled startups that build open-source social impact products,
UNICEF is supporting the development of DPGs by youth in
Ghana, Kazakhstan, Sierra Leone, Brazil, Jordan, Lebanon, andmore.
The UNICEF StartUp Lab in Ghana has graduated 4 DPGs
by youth, and there are more in the pipeline. The lab provides
young entrepreneurs with the chance to learn about how to40

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become a DPG, how to convert your product to open source,
open source business models, and open source licenses. At
Ghana Digital Innovation Week in November, UNICEF led asession called, “Youth-Led Innovation: Driving Digital Public
Goods in Ghana” highlighting this work.
DPG4DPI FOR CHILDREN

1bn+
MESSAGES SENT AND
RECEIVED USING
RAPIDPRO

10k
FRONTLINE SERVICES
WORKERS SUPPORTEDBY PRIMERO

This workstream ensures DPGs for DPI with high impact (andrisks) for children are maintained, continuously evolved,
and supported, and that the opportunities and challenges of
DPI and DPG4DPI for child rights are well understood andconsidered in design and implementation phases. DPG4DPI
for Children provides guidance on priority topics, including
CRVS systems. In addition, in 2023 UNICEF sent and received
over 1 billion messages using RapidPro DPG for education,
health, and child protection; further scaled up Primero DPG to55 countries, supporting over 10,000 frontline services workers for vulnerable children; and continued to empower girls
through the Oky DPG App, now deployed in 14 countries and 17
languages, and is used by over 500,000 girls.
DJENGA: DPG MATURITY ASSESSMENT TOOL

In order to support innovators across the world in designing,
continuously evolving, and maintaining DPGs that lead to
impact at scale, including for children, UNICEF developed the
Djenga Software Maturity Assessment. This global assessment
framework analyses DPG maturity, supporting product owners
in developing mature and sustainable DPGs, and implementers in identifying mature DPGs that are ready for deployment
at scale. The self-assessment tool for product owners aims

Young entrepreneurs exploring the communication module at the
UNICEF StartUp Lab in Accra SOURCE / UNICEF STARTUP L AB

to provide a snapshot of the maturity of a DPG and provide
improvement recommendations. With Djenga, UNICEF aims
to support the entire DPG ecosystem in analysing and improving DPG maturity, thereby enabling more DPGs to reach scaleand sustainability.
WEB3 FOR DPG

WEB3 for DPG is a workstream being developed to explore
decentralised models of funding for DPGs. The focus isan exploration of blockchain-based “funding for features”

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modalities. The aim is to establish a firm technological andknowledge foundation to expand the scale of this explorationin 2024.

a free, open, and inclusive DPI, and that the capacity of youth
as future designers, maintainers, and owners of DPGs and DPI
is both recognised and resourced.

DPG X GLOBAL DIGITAL COMPACTLOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

UNICEF submitted a set of DPG-related recommendations into
the preparatory phase of the Global Digital Compact process,including provisions for recognition that DPI must be built on
DPGs to ensure free, open, and inclusive DPI. It was also recommended to both recognise and strengthen youth’s capacity
as future owners and maintainers of DPI and DPGs; and to
redirect capital flows towards social-impact oriented entrepreneurship in emerging and developing markets, including foropen source upskilling and DPG capacity building.
The goal of this work is to ensure that the Summit of the
Future outcomes recognise DPGs’ foundational role to achieve

In 2024, UNICEF will continue to advance work under all threeworkstreams, including by creating a new value proposition
narrative package for each.
UNICEF collaborated extensively with other DPGA members and DPGs in various capacities, aiming to connect andcollaborate further in the future. This includes the membersof the DPGA Governing Board of which UNICEF is a part;and partnership and collaboration with many DPGA member
organisations and countries.

42

DP G

S P OT LI G H T

R E L E VA N C E
S DG5GEN D E R

J UST I CETO

S D G 3A N D

O K Y DPG L I C E N S E

G O O DE Q U A LI T Y
S TR O N GCONFI D E N T LY

HEALTHS D G6AND

CL EANI NS TI TUTI O NS

N AV I GAT E

Oky is a girl-centered DPG, co-created withand for adolescent girls in low-and-middle
income countries and is the first open-source
mobile menstruation and reproductive healtheducation app and period tracker for girls.
Oky illustrates innovative tech design thattackles both the taboo, stigma, misconceptions, and lack of quality information on
menstruation and reproductive health—andthe gender digital divide. Oky was built
together with girls to meet their digital realties
in terms of connectivity, devices, literacy,
online safety, and gatekeepers. As a result,
Oky is gamified and easy to navigate bydesign, digitally inclusive for girls with disabilities, fully functions offline, takes little storage
space on the mostly low-end devices that girls
have access to, is compatible with older software and accommodates phone sharing, hashigh data protection and privacy by design,

CO D EAGPL - 3. 0

C ONTENTC C -BY-4.0

WEL L - B EI NG

SDG4WAT E RS A N I TAT I O NANDWEB S I TEQUALIT Y

O K YA P P. I N F OSDGEDUCATION

SGD1 6PEAC E,EM POWERINGGIRLSAD O L ES CENCE

engages communities, governments andgatekeepers to support girls’ use of Oky, andis entirely free, without advertisements. By
using Oky, adolescent girls learn about theirbody, puberty, reproductive health, and many
more topics relevant to their lives, in positiveand empowering ways, while improving theirdigital literacy.

Scaling for Global Reach
Since Oky launched in two pilot markets inIndonesia and Mongolia in 2020, thirteen
new countries have joined to adapt Oky
code, content, and design, together withgirls and collaborators, to their local context.
Localized Oky versions are already live in
Burundi, Indonesia, India (West Bengal),
Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal,
Philippines, Tanzania, and Ukraine. Morethan 550,000 girls are using Oky online,with many more offline users. Initial impact
data from in-app surveys and qualitative
research in three markets indicate that Oky
has positive impacts on girls’ wellbeing andempowerment.
Dynamic Oky ecosystems are emerging in
deployment countries, with stakeholders fromall sectors of society contributing to Oky andits reach. In addition to building vibrant communities and partnerships, Oky uses an innovative business model for scaling via social
franchising. As Oky scales across countries
and regions, local franchise partners drive
and iterate Oky with girls and contributors,
supported by UNICEF, and supplement
Oky with (low-tech or frontier tech) products
or features where relevant. Through thisapproach, Oky facilitates local capacity andownership; leverages diversity, creativity, and

550k+

13

17

GIRLS USING

COUNTRIES ADAPTINGL ANGUAGESOKY ONLINEOK Y TO LOCAL CONTEX TS

AVA I L A B L E

different expertise; allows multiple simultaneous deployments around the world; facilitates
faster and cost-efficient product build-out
through peer and consumer co-production;and sparks learning, digital South-South
collaboration, and GenderTech community
development, to transform restrictive gendernorms and foster inclusive societies.
Exciting Oky endeavors for 2024 include AI
for generating Oky easy read versions forusers with intellectual disabilities; rich content
feature; integrating Oky activation with girls’
digital skilling sessions; roll-out of Oky peerto-peer approach to reach unconnected girls;
supporting teachers to use Oky for delivering health and sexuality education in theclassroom; accelerating user reach; and Oky
deployments in new markets, depending on
available investment.

A C R O N Y M S I N T R O D U C T I O N D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T E R F R O M T H E D P G
A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T
E R F R O M T H E D P G A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 T H E D P G A S E C R
E T A R I A T T H E D P G A S T R A T E G Y U P D A T E 2 0 2 3 – 2 0 2 8 T H E F I V E Y E A R O B J E C T I V E
S O F T H E D P G A O P E R A T I O N A L T A R G E T S F O R 2 0 2 8 M E M B E R S H I P A N D S T A K E H O
L D E R E N G A G E M E N T C O U N T R Y M E M B E R S H I P A D V O C A T I N G F O R D P G S D P G S 4 D
P I : F R O M T H E D P G C H A R T E R T O T H E 5 0 I N 5 C A M P A I G N I N F O R M A T I O N P O L L U T I
O N A I C O M M U N I T Y O F P R A C T I C E D P G R E G I S T R Y , S T A N D A R D , A N D C O M M U N I T
Y D P G S T A N D A R D A N D T E C H N I C A L I N T E G R A T I O N D P G R E G I S T R Y , P R O D U C T O
W N E R S A N D C O M M U N I T Y E N T H E V D P G S E C O S Y S T E M G A G E M E N T T H E D P G E C O S
Y S T E M D P G A G O V E R N I N G B O A R D C O U N T R Y M E M E B R S H I P S B A N G L A D E S H E T H
I O P I A G U A T E M A L A I N D I A R E P U B L I C O F M O L D O V A R E P U B L I C O F E S T O N I A R W A
N D A S R I L A N K A U G A N D A U S A I D O R G A N I S A T I O N A L M E M B E R S H I P S B I L L & M E L I
N D A G A T E S F O U N D A T I O N D A T A . O R G E G O C O U N T R Y V F O U N D A T I O N F A O F O U N
D A T I O N F O R P U B L I C C O D E G I T H U B U N G L I M E M E B R S H I P S B A L P U L S E O I C T I T S I
I O I N T E R A M E R I C A N D E V E L O P M E N T B A N K I T U O M I D Y A R N E T W O R K O P E N K N O W
L E D G E F O U N D A T I O N O S D D I G I T A L S Q U A R E A T P A T H P U B L I C D I G I T A L T H E R O C
K E F E L L E R F O U N D A T I O N T H O U G H T W O R K S O S E T C O N C L U S I O N S L E S S O N S L E A

S TA T E O F T H E D I G I TA L P U B L I C G O O D S E C O S Y S T E M

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INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEM

45

CONCLUSION

Bangladesh
In 2023, Bangladesh received DPG recognition for three of their products—
Grievance Redress System , NISE-3 Skill and Certification , and ekShop
Marketplace . They also strengthened collaborations with organisations working
on DPGs to help further adoption.
DPG

DPG

DPG

There were challenges as well as complex technical specification updates needed for meeting DPG compliance and useof DPGs themselves. This included insufficient funding acrossthe DPG ecosystem, and hesitancy among partners and industries to adopt OSS. Despite these challenges, Bangladesh wasable to make three products DPGs and expand the use andawareness of DPGs4DPI and have joined 50-in-5 as a First
Mover country.
EXECUTING PIPELINE ACTIVITIES FOR DPG GROWTH

2
DPGs FROM BANGLADESHR E P L I C AT E D I N S O M A L I A ,J O R D A N , T U R K E Y, Y E M E N ,AND SOUTH SUDAN

The Government of Bangladesh developed a series ofpipeline activities to create new DPG initiatives and extend
support for existing ones. Notably, two of their DPGs havebeen replicated in Somalia, Jordan, Turkey, Yemen, and South
Sudan. The objective is to further extend DPG accreditation
to additional existing products and introduce new products as
DPGs which will help strengthen global cooperation.

DEVELOPING DPI BY USING EXISTING DPGs

Bangladesh is planning to develop their DPI by leveraging andimplementing existing DPGs such as X-Road DPG and Sunbird
RC DPG. The goal is to elevate their DPI and government services, to ensure efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability.
FOSTERING A DPG ECOSYSTEM AMONG
INDUSTRY, ACADEMIA, AND GOVERNMENTThis initiative is aimed at fostering awareness of DPGs and DPI
among industry, academia, and government. The focus is on
informing and engaging stakeholders and raising awarenessfor the optimum usage of DPGs.
Moving ahead, there are plans to explore new collaborations
and integrate DPG products with a2i offerings such as e-Signet, Sunbird RC DPG, and other innovative solutions to enhanceinteroperability and optimise synergies between DPGs and a2i
products for more comprehensive and efficient digital governance solutions.

S TA T E O F T H E D I G I TA L P U B L I C G O O D S E C O S Y S T E M

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INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

Estonia
A pioneer in the DPG ecosystem, Estonia’s membership in the DPGA underscores acommitment to sharing learnings from their DPG implementations.
DEMONSTRATING THE POWER OF DPGs WITH X-ROAD

E-PARTICIPATION SPECIFICATIONS

Estonia uses X-Tee, based on X-Road . The number of
X-Road DPG users, and its community continued to grow in
2023. Currently, 145 countries are part of the X-Road DPG
community and 22 ecosystems have been deployed bygovernments or other organisations, totalling 373 million end
users worldwide. Estonia continues to develop and maintain
X-Road DPG and contributes financially to the Nordic Institutefor Interoperability Solutions who maintains the product.

The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with e-participation partners and community, has initiated the developmentof e-participation specifications. These specifications arebeing developed for the Summit of the Future, and will link tothe specifications of the GovStack Initiative.

DPG

145
C O U N T R I E S PA R T O F T H E
X-ROAD COMMUNIT Y

22
X-ROAD ECOSYSTEMSDEPLOYED BY
GOVERNMENTS ANDO R GA N I S AT I O N S

373mn
X-ROAD END USERSWORLDWIDE

PUBLISHING BUILDING BLOCK SPECIFICATIONS

As a founding member of the GovStack Initiative, Estonia
together with partners DIAL, BMZ / GIZ, and ITU amplified theimportance of DPGs4DPI. Nine building block specifications
have been published including digital registries, information
mediator, payments, identification and authentication, registration and security, and new ones such as e-marketplace,e-signature, GIS and UI / UE guidelines are on the way. Many
countries are enhancing public sector service delivery throughreusable, interoperable, open-source building blocks using
the GovStack approach. This includes Somalia, Kenya, andDjibouti within the Horn of Africa project, Egypt, and Ukraine.

OPEN DATA PORTAL

Estonia has been actively promoting the use of open data
to enhance transparency, innovation, and public services.
Estonia’s Open Data Portal, which serves as a central platform
for sharing various datasets, provides access to more than
1,700 datasets that are available for everyone to use, reuseand share, to launch commercial and non-profit ventures,conduct research and make data-driven decisions. Open datain Estonia is utilised in various sectors, including transport,
environment, and education. The availability of open data
encourages innovation, research and the development of newservices by both the public and the private sectors. Estonia’s
legal framework also supports open data initiatives by encouraging government agencies to make non-classified information
publicly available, fostering a culture of transparency.

46

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T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMINTEGRATING AI INTO PUBLIC SECTOR SERVICES120+
AI PROJECTS CARRIEDOUT IN 5 YEARS FOR

60+
PUBLIC SECTORO R GA N I S AT I O N S

During the last 5 years, more than 120 AI projects have been
carried out involving more than 60 public sector organisations. Estonia integrates AI into its e-government services tostreamline processes and improve citizen interactions. AI
is mainly used to automate routine tasks and processes toreduce administrative burdens and allow government officials
to focus on more complex tasks. For example, speech technology solutions are used to automatically transcribe court
hearings and parliament sessions, machine vision algorithms
analyse satellite imagery to distance monitor forests andcrops. Also, the Bürokratt network, an interoperable networkof virtual assistants on the websites of different government
agencies is being developed that will allow people to obtain
information from these authorities through a chat window.
However, the development and practical implementation of
AI solutions is far from simple and the amount of knowledge
needed to select the right technologies, assess risks andaddress ethical considerations is considerable. To boost theimplementation of AI across the Estonian private and public
sector, a dedicated knowledge sharing and hands-on support centre—AI Support Toolbox has been made available toeveryone, free of charge.
EMBRACING DIGITAL SKILLSAND ADVANCING TRANSPARENCY

A digital country can only flourish when its public and experts
have suitable skills and competencies to use and implement
its technologies. To support widespread digital literacy,
upskilling and reskilling, Estonia created a central e-learning

CONCLUSION

platform—the Digital State Academy—that is freely available toall Estonian citizens and offers simple and attractive lessons.
Going digital and being data driven does also come with
its fair share of risks, including in the areas ethical, fair, andtransparent use of citizens data. While raising the level ofoverall digital literacy is a key factor in achieving a human-centered digital state, Estonia has also taken practical steps bydeveloping and implementing tools that allow citizens to see
how the government is using their data and to control who
and when their personal data can be resused. In addition,
initial research has concluded on the secure release of sensitive data by the use of Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs)
and first implementations of these are being implemented in
multiple domains.
In December 2020, Estonia, Belgium, Luxembourg,
Germany, and France established the Digital for Development
Hub (D4D), which aims to boost the digital revolution worldwide. The D4D flagship project ‘African Union and European
Union D4D Hub’ was launched at the same time. The
EU-funded project aims to support African countries in achieving their digital goals. In 2021, regional branches of Africa
and Latin America were established under the D4D Global
Hub, in which Estonia also actively participates. In the African
branch, Estonia is co-leading the issue of e-governance withGermany and is actively participating in the working group on
connectivity and closing the digital gender gap.

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INTRODUCTION

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

Ethiopia
Ethiopia joined the DPGA in early 2023 and, in their first year as members, steppedup as the co-host of the 2nd Annual DPGA Members’ Meeting which was held in Addis
Ababa in November.

In 2023, Ethiopia
achieved a milestone by
successfully launching
Fayda, a digital ID
platform based on
the MOSIPAPPLYING G2P BASED SERVICE FOR THE PRODUCTIVE

BUILDING A DPI SANDBOXSAFETY NET PROGRAMME BY USING DPGs

The aim is to transform the Productive SafetyNet Program(PSNP) by enabling digital ID and incorporating at least one
DPG, such as OpenG2P DPG, into the existing information
systems.

Ethiopia is planning to create a DPI Sandbox composed ofintegrated technologies, including both DPGs and proprietary
solutions, to showcase the value of taking a DPI approach anddemonstrate the practical utilisation of DPGs. The goal is totest at least one basic social sector use case.

USING MOSIP FOR DIGITAL ID

DEVELOPING A DPI BASED REFERENCE

In 2023, Ethiopia achieved a milestone by successfullylaunching Fayda, a digital ID platform based on the MOSIP DPG.
This platform, poised for broader application, showcased
the feasibility of establishing a national-scale digital ID systemusing a DPG and helped educate local stakeholders about
DPGs4DPI. The initiative, which is integral to Ethiopia’s strategyof leveraging local capacities—both technical and administrative—through DPG adoption, has significantly advanced
inclusive identification and service delivery, with plans forfurther expansion.

ARCHITECTURE FOR ETHIOPIAA DPI based reference architecture for the Ethiopian public
service will support the government’s objective of sustainabledigital transformation across the public service sector.
Looking ahead, Ethiopia will continue to scale Fayda and will
also explore DPG options for establishing a sustainable data
sharing platform such as X-Road DPG. The government alsoplans to explore OpenG2P DPG for integration with PSNP and
Sunbird RC DPG.

48

DP G
SDG2

S P OTLI G H T

ZEROGENDERM O S I P DPG L I C E N S E

HUNGER

EQUIT Y

SDG3

SDG8

I N N OVAT I O NANDJUSTICEAND

STRONGWEBSITEMOSIP.IO

GOOD

DECENTHEALTHWORKINFRASTRUCTURE

Incubated at the International Institute ofInformation Technology, Bangalore (IIIT-B),
the MOSIP project was set up with the visionof providing inclusive, trustworthy digital
ID systems that would enable countries tocustomise, scale, and own core componentsof their DPI.

R E L E VA N C EQUALIT Y

ECONOMIC

SDG10REDUCEDD I G I TA L

SDG17
ID

Three countries—Morocco, the Philippines,
and Ethiopia—are rolling out MOSIP at anational scale, while Togo, Uganda, and Sri
Lanka are preparing for rollouts. MOSIP is
also being piloted in 5 more countries, withseveral exploratory conversations underway.

This year marked a major milestone in
MOSIP’s journey. As of November, adopting
countries have cumulatively registered 100
million residents on MOSIP-based ID systems.

Acknowledging the need for building architecture for the stages beyond the provisionof digital ID, MOSIP has developed andreleased new features and technologies
aimed at enabling residents to leverage theirdigital ID for equitable delivery of rights andservices. Specifically, Inji—a digital walletmobile application, and e-Signet—an Identity
Provider (IdP) module, will expand the usageof ID for access to healthcare, food rations,

11

100mn

COUNTRIES ADOPTEDRESIDENTS

MOSIP-BASED SYSTEMSREGISTERED

Since its inception in 2018, MOSIP has grown
in response to the rapidly-evolving needs ofadopting countries and the global landscapeof digital ID.

SDG4

SDG

AND

INSTITUTIONSSCALING

MPL-2.0

EDUCATIONGROW THSDG9

INEQUALITIESPARTNERSHIPSSYSTEMS

SDG1

FOR

SAFE

FOR

THE

AND

and financial services, while enhancing
privacy and security.
The project has also continued to nurturean ecosystem of technology partners andworked concertedly towards contributing
to global standards. MOSIP’s standards andcertification initiatives have resulted in establishing compliance with 80+ biometric device
manufacturers, ABIS vendors, and system
integrators around the world, giving countries
the choice to seamlessly integrate a variety oftechnologies with MOSIP.
The project’s efforts towards community-building and knowledge-sharing also came tofruition in Country Conversations 2023, a

END

POVERT Y

SDG5
INDUSTRY¸SDG16PEACE¸GOALS

INCLUSIVE

DPI

two-day event held in IIIT Bangalore. Over 200
members of MOSIP’s country, technology,
and research ecosystems shared their experiences and learned from each other, paving
the way for more such events in the future.
MOSIP’s vision is rooted in the belief that theexclusion of individuals from being seen andserved by their countries is a complex andnuanced problem, requiring holistic solutions
with cutting-edge technology informed andempowered by policy, legislature, standards,
and academic research. The project remains
committed to supporting the coming togetherof many experts united by a common goal,bringing us closer to an equitable world,
where no one is left behind.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

GuatemalaThis year, Guatemala joined the DPGA and started exploring and understanding how
DPGs could be leveraged as part of their DPI. They also joined 50-in-5 as a First Mover
country. These achievements set the stage for structured and standardised progress inthe country’s digital transformation, supported by the knowledge and collaboration of
the DPGA community.
ADVANCING INTEROPERABILITY AND DATA EXCHANGE

BUILDING DPG CAPACITY TO STRENGTHENThe Government of Guatemala aims to promote the use of
DPGs by advancing interoperability and data exchange. The
focus is on facilitating data exchange through X-Road DPG tohelp address interoperability challenges in executive government institutions. Currently, this effort is in development.

NATIONWIDE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

In order to advance Guatemala’s digital transformation, thegovernment is planning to leverage internationally designed
building blocks with tested standards. This will help close existing gaps and allow Guatemala to benefit from other country
experiences.

ADVANCING DPG-BASED DIGITAL PAYMENT SOLUTIONSIn 2024, Guatemala will
focus on transitioning
from planning to
implementation ofboth DPGs and DPI

Awareness-raising activities are underway to encourage theimplementation of DPGs for DPI within executive government
institutions, specifically for digital payments. This initiative aims
to avoid the use of multiple technological solutions, many ofwhich fail to interact with each other and instead streamline
digital payments. This initative is in the planning stage, and will
outline strategies for future implementation.

In 2024, Guatemala will focus on transitioning from planning to implementation of both DPGs and DPI. Specifically,
Guatemala plans to decide on the institution or institutions
where DPGs and DPI will be implemented to help effectiveplanning and execution.

50

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INTRODUCTION

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

India
India is a member of the DPGA via India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology. This year, their DPG-related activities involved building global consensus
on DPI in the G20 under the Indian Presidency.
SUPPORTING ADOPTION OF DPGs THROUGH API SETUThis platform facilitates consent-based access to APIs for various use cases such as KYC, paperless admission processes,
and employment. Emphasising ongoing support and utilisation, this initiative is aimed at fostering the adoption of DPGs
by implementing API Setu.
HOSTING THE GLOBAL DPI SUMMITThe Global DPI Summit
held in June, focusedon promoting the useof DPGs for DPI150
F O R E I G N D E L E GAT E S

50
COUNTRIESThe Global DPI Summit in June, saw participation from 150 foreign delegates representing approximately 50 countries andfocused on promoting the use of DPGs4DPI. Collaboration
has been a key element of India’s DPG-related work. During
the Global DPI Summit, India engaged in meaningful collaborations with DPGA members and DPGs, fostering a collective
effort to advance the adoption and promotion of DPGs.
While progressing in these initiatives, India encounteredchallenges related to the direct adoption of DPGs leading tohigh cloud hosting charges. This highlighted the importanceof customisation before deploying DPGs in a production
environment.

Global DPI Summit SOURCE / INDIASTACK.GLOBAL

Looking ahead, India remains committed to DPGs, with afocus on advocacy and adoption efforts.

51

DP G

S P OT LI G H T

POV E RT Y

S D G 4O P E NF N. O R GO P E N F N DPG L I C E N C E

Q U A LIT Y

TH E

D P G

OpenFn is used in more than 40 countries toautomate workflows and integrate disparate
systems, boosting efficiency and security,
taking service delivery to scale, and freeing
up time for resource-strapped teams to focus
on the critical, human aspects of their work.
OpenFn can be used to integrate with any
application, but more often than not the platform is used to connect DPGs, and it’s playeda key role in interventions across health,humanitarian, environmental protection, andeducation. Imagine that you’re trying to sync
health facility records between government
and NGO partners; initiate new orders whenstock levels run low in a supply chain; refera vulnerable child for services at different
agencies, standardise and share ecosystemdata across countries; or make payments tocommunity health workers when new visit data
is submitted. All of these workflows involve
complex technical steps and multiple systems,
but they’re entirely formulaic.
With OpenFn, you can not only map out
these processes visually, but implement andexecute them automatically, hundreds ofthousands of times a day in real time. The
platform has been used since 2015 and has
a simple web interface that makes it possible

ED UCATI O N

MOVEMENTI S

GPL - 3. 0

S GD 15S DG

L I FEULTI MATELY

for non-technical users to play a key role inthe design, implementation, and long-term
success of data integration projects with powerful security, change management, search,debugging, and error handling features.

Impact on social protection and health
To date, OpenFn has been trusted by 65
institutions to provide secure, stable, scalable automation and it processes millions ofrecords each year. In Cambodia, OpenFn
automates case referrals between government social workers using Primero DPG, andNGO partners to ensure coordinated care
and adequate child services coverage. In
Thailand, hospital social workers can click
a button to request that OpenFn search thenational health information system for clients’
medical history to inform care plans forvulnerable children. In St. Lucia, OpenFnautomated reporting provides Ministry of
Health epidemiologists with a real-time viewof national progress against key immunisation
indicators in DHIS2.
Scaling with an open source strategy
At OpenFn, the DPG movement, and open
source more broadly, is a big part of ourstrategy for achieving impact at scale. Since
2015, our main business has been our paidON

R E L E VA N C E
L AND

ABOUT

SDG1

WEBSITEEND

W W W.

C HOIC E

software-as-a-service offering and the implementation and support we provide around
it. We grew slowly and steadily for years
and, until recently, we kept a portion of ourflagship software proprietary. With this model
we lacked larger-scale government adoption
but were concerned that if we went fully open
source we’d erode the revenue base thatallowed us to sustain the very software that
we felt could play such a crucial role in theworld’s DPI.
It seemed as though we’d reached adilemma, but as we listened more closely to
our customers we began to realise that theywanted “total solution ownership”, “local
deployment”, and “fully open source” inaddition to (not instead of!) our subscription
services offering. In a way, being a certified
DPG has made our customers more willingto pay because they know we’re offering fairvalue for money. It’s even helped us jumpstart a channel partner program with certified
local implementers in 4 different countries
who can now deliver OpenFn solutions
independently and still chose to use our coreteam for hosting and higher-level support.
For OpenFn, the DPG movement is ultimately about choice. Not only do we see it

as our mission to provide the plumbing thatconnects and empowers a diverse ecosystemof fit-for-purpose technologies, we see thatfor these technologies to enable legitimatetransformation, LMICs need the substantive
freedom to choose. They’ve got to be able
to dictate what tools they need, where theyshould be running, and how they’d like toimplement them… and ultimately develop themechanisms to pay—whether the software isopen source or not—for someone to keepthem safe and operational. We see open
source as a way to reduce vendor lock-in
and block rent-seeking behaviours without
seriously hampering the abilities of the companies that build and deliver these tools fromcreating sustainable solutions.
The worst kept secret in SaaS is that writing code is only the first step—most of thechallenge, and most of the value, is in the“as-a-service” bit and people will always be
willing to pay for service.

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INTRODUCTION

T H E D P G A S E C R E TA R I A T

THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

Moldova
Moldova joined the DPGA in November, via the Ministry of Economic Development
and Digitalization. This decision demonstrates their strong commitment to collaborate
and leverage the potential of DPGs to stimulate sustainable development.

“You don’t have toattain the status of adeveloped country before
embracing digitalization.
We demonstrate thateven in a developing
country like the Republicof Moldova, digitalization
can be adopted andsuccessfully used togenerate opportunities,
combat corruption,
engage citizens in thedecision-making
process, and provide
high-quality services”

Moldova’s DPG-related activities kicking off this year and leading into 2024 include: defining a national vision for public
digital assets, data management, and the overall process ofdigital transformation; digitizing public services and exploring
the implementation of digital IDs and instant payments.
To ensure the successful adoption of DPI and DPGs,
the Government of Moldova and the Ministry of Economic

Development and Digitalization collaborate with UNDP
Moldova to leverage data in governance and policies. They
are working together on establishing a governance data
framework. As a 50-in-5 First Mover country, they will also becollaborating with other countries to advance safe, inclusive
and interoperable DPI.

RwandaRwanda is a member of the DPGA via the Ministry of ICT and Innovation. This year their
DPG-related activities relate to digital ID, data sharing, and bridging the digital divide.

DUMITRU ALAIBACREATING A LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR DIGITAL IDs

Deputy Prime Minister and Ministerof Economic Development andDigitalization, Moldova

After conducting a feasibility study on digital ID in Rwanda,
the government proceeded with its full development andadoption. The first step involved establishing a legal framework, resulting in the enactment of a bill by Parliament earlier
this year to govern population registration within the national

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEM

Single Digital Identity (SDID) system. Following the adoption,
Rwanda began the implementation of the SDID project inphases through the National Identification Agency.

CONCLUSION

while addressing concerns related to data protection andprivacy.
BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

CREATING A NATIONAL DATA SHARING POLICY

Rwanda is currently working towards adopting a data sharing
policy to ensure secure and well-governed sharing of data
among agencies. This initiative aims to improve decision-making, foster collaboration, and serve as the foundation forachieving national policy objectives that benefit the citizensof Rwanda. The intention is to facilitate the smooth flow of
information without imposing unnecessary obstacles, all

In order to unlock the potential of DPGs for end users,
Rwanda is aiming to narrow the digital divide in their country.
After the adoption of the New Broadband Policy, which is
aimed at narrowing the digital divide among other outcomes,
the Government of Rwanda, in collaboration with its partners,
has launched the “Connect Rwanda 2.0” program, to distribute 1.2 million smartphones nationwide to connect previously
unconnected individuals.

Sri Lanka
In 2023, Sri Lanka used DHIS2 for various education-related use cases, initiatedthe procurement process for MOSIP , and commenced a pilot evaluation of
X-Road for data interoperability within the government.
DPG

DPG

DPG

ADOPTING MOSIP FOR SLUDIThe Government of Sri Lanka adopted MOSIP DPG as thefoundational identity platform for the Sri Lanka Unique Digital
Identity (SLUDI) project. SLUDI aims to utilise MOSIP DPG toemphasise the government’s commitment to open source bycontributing its modified MOSIP DPG code and insights back to
the global community.
ADOPTING AND SCALING DHIS2 FOR EDUCATION

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Education is actively working to adopt
DHIS2 DPG as an Education Management Information System,

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

facilitating and accelerating its adoption for education-related
use cases.
EXPLORING AND EVALUATINGNEW DPGs FOR ADOPTIONIn an effort to advance the adoption of DPGs, the Governmentof Sri Lanka is exploring and evaluating existing DPGs to fasttrack the digital transformation process in their country. The
goal is to identify suitable DPGs for evolving the country’s
foundational and sector-specific DPI.
SUPPORTING, MAINTAINING, AND UPKEEPING
THE COVID-19 SMART VACCINATION CERTIFICATE

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 Smart Vaccination Certificate, developed
using DHIS2 DPG and DIVOC DPG, has seen over 1 million issuances. The Ministry of Technology aims to upkeep, maintain,
and support this information system now and in the future.
USING OPEN SOURCE AND DPGs-FIRST APPROACH
IN THE SRI LANKA DIGITAL GOVERNMENT POLICY

Sri Lanka’s draft Digital Government Policy advocates for an
open source, DPGs-first strategy to guide the shift to digital governance, promoting interoperable and fair DPI. The
country is collaborating with the DPGA for global insights andplans to share its policy outcomes, which also underscores
their commitment collaboration which they have solidified as a
50-in-5 First Mover country.
Looking ahead, Sri Lanka will continue the implementation of
SLUDI using MOSIP DPG, the evaluation of X-Road DPG for data

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 Smart Vaccination Certificate, developed using
DHIS2 and DIVOC, has seen over 1 million issuances SOURCE / MAT NAPO /UNSPL ASH

interoperability, awareness sessions for the local ICT vendor
ecosystem, and exploration and evaluation of new DPGs for
adoption. Sri Lanka has also identified and planned to addresspain points, including the need to build awareness amongstate leadership on DPGs and DPI and the importance ofproper orchestration and cooperation among international
agencies in the DPG space for greater synergies when working with member countries and agencies. These insights will
guide any future endeavours in the DPG landscape.

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H E A LT H

AND

WEL L - B EI NG

B L UE SQU A R E H U B. C O M/ I AS O
CA M PA I G N

T H R O U G H

AN

MI T

S D G4

ENH ANCI NG

A DVA N C E D

S D G

R E L E VA N C E
Q UALIT Y

IASO was selected as the best-fit solution
in support of the 2023 Cameroon Measles
Vaccination Campaign in part due to its
cutting edge georegistry and micro planning features. To ensure that vaccination
campaigns in the field run to plan, a reliablegeo-enabled micro planning solution is
critical. With IASO, requirements can becommunicated to each team and field agent
with clarity. This information tells field actors
who should go where, how many children
require vaccination, and what equipment isavailable in order to be prepared to a level ofprecision unattainable by manual processes
before heading to the field.
The Cameroon georegistry was updated
collaboratively via the IASO web and mobile
apps, inclusive of all essential informationsuch as: target population, available materials, etc. With a validated plan in place,
Cameroon’s Expanded Programme on
Immunization specialists could generate up

to date digital maps that in turn replaced thehand-drawn—and non-validated—precedingversions. All information was then available
in a central repository with data entered foreach team and location. This allowed decision makers to monitor the vaccination andgeographical coverage of each community
ensuring no child had been left behind.
Afterwards, the Cameroon EPI supervisory team visualised the data sent by 900
IASO end users in real-time on tailor-madedashboards, allowing ad-hoc troubleshooting
wherever needed. Well-informed teams andreal-time monitoring of the vaccination campaign led to an overall coverage rate of 93%,
meaning 4.9 million children were vaccinatedby 9,000 teams in the field.
This use case shows us that digital precision of geographic information is a gamechanger and leads to successful vaccination
and/or distribution of health campaigns(medicines, mosquito nets, etc.).

9,000

4.9mn

VA C C I N AT I O N T E A M S

C H I L D R E N VA C C I N AT E D

IN THE FIELDACROSS CAMEROONZEROEDUCATIONCAMER O ON’ S

GEO R EGI S TR Y

SDG2

AND

M EASLESM IC ROHUNGERWEBSITEW W W.

VAC C I N AT I O N

PL ANNINGS TA T E O F T H E D I G I TA L P U B L I C G O O D S E C O S Y S T E M

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

UgandaIn 2023, Uganda has been working on a digital ID system, developing an eGovernment
Procurement System, and partnering to provide digital skills for communities.
IMPLEMENTING DIGITAL ID USING MOSIP

Uganda conducted a mass national ID registration and issuance campaign from 2014 to 2015. As these IDs approach
expiration, the government aims to transform them into digital
IDs using the MOSIP DPG platform. An MoU has been signedwith MOSIP DPG, and technical support is underway for thecustomisation and implementation of the national ID system.
DEPLOYING eGOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT SYSTEM

Uganda has crafted an
eProcurement system,
currently undergoing
deployment as a pilot in

36
ENTITIESThe Government of Uganda has crafted an eProcurement
system, currently undergoing deployment in 36 entities as apilot. Valuable lessons have been learned for enhancementsin the process. Once fully developed, they intend to offer thissolution as a DPG, particularly considering the interest it has
generated in other African countries.
SUPPORTING DIGITAL SKILLS FOR COMMUNITIESIn collaboration with Huawei, the Ministry of ICT is providing
digital skills training to citizens in the informal sector, including market vendors and bike riders. This training enables
them to effectively consume digital services, including DPGs.
There has been an observed increase in the use of electronic

A converted shipping container on wheels, DigiTruck helps increase theuse of electronic services SOURCE / ©2023 HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

services within the informal communities where digital skills
training has been provided.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

USAID
In 2023, USAID expanded DPG activities to lead to wide scale applications, including
support for investments in Global Goods through Digital Square, and the DPG Charter.
FUNDING DIGITAL REACH THROUGH DIGITAL SQUAREEVALUATING GENDER BIAS IN AI APPLICATIONS

Through Digital Square, USAID provided funding to The Digital
Regional East African Community Health (Digital REACH)
Initiative. Digital REACH will be a new, groundbreaking initiative within the East African Community that will implement ICT
across all dimensions of the health sector in East Africa. It has
the power to transform health outcomes for millions of people.
This funding included strategic regional and cross-border
implementations including telemedicine networks, the establishment of a regional health data cloud and associated architecture and support team, and an early detection surveillancesystem to identify potential disease outbreaks.

USING SURVEY DATA IN GHANACONTRIBUTING TO OPENSTREETMAP

20mn
EDITS CONTRIBUTEDBY YOUTHMAPPERS
TO OPENSTREETMAP

YouthMappers cultivates a generation of young leaders to create resilient communities and to define their world by mapping
it. Since its inception, YouthMappers have contributed morethan 20 million edits to OpenStreetMap DPG, an open geospatial platform which provides critical service for modern digital
economy, governance, and health.

The project leverages AidData’s expertise in AI, geospatial
data, household surveys, and CDD-Ghana’s knowledge ofthe local context and environments to produce a novel public
good that will elevate equitability discussions surrounding thegrowing use of AI in development.
STUDYING FARMER-CENTRIC DATA GOVERNANCE

This was a comprehensive study examining different models
for farmer-centric data governance, resulting in the publicationof a report, case studies, and deep dives. While it is not exclusively focused on DPGs, it does include promoting the use of
DPGs in some contexts.
SUPPORTING FINANCIAL LITERACYUSAID supports “Hey Sister, Show me the Mobile Money”,
a digital financial literacy campaign available for use andadaptation by anyone, anywhere. Learning resources havebeen tailored and made available for learning and facilitationin Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda
containing 26 voice lessons.

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S D G 4S DG8DE C E N T

S DG1 6O RG

PE AC E ¸

TA K I N G

R IGH TS

E N D

AND

J U S TI CE

A N

POVER T Y

Q UAL I T Y

WO R KT R A C K E R DPG L I C E N S E

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative’s
ground-breaking Rights Tracker is a unique,free, online platform, tracking the humanrights progress of nearly every country in theworld.
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative’s
Rights Tracker makes it easy for anyone to see
how well countries are treating their people.
Human Rights Measurement Initiative uses
sophisticated, peer-reviewed methodologies
to track each country’s human rights performance, and publishes the data on the Rights
Tracker. All the information on the Rights
Tracker is freely available for non-commercial
use.

Z ER OED UCATI O N

ECO NO MI CAND

I N N OVAT I V E

A team from Aotearoa, New Zealand is taking
a global leadership role in human rights
measurement by sharing its model and findings with the world.

S D G2

S TR O NG

CC-BY-4.0,C C -BY-NC -4.0

H UNGER

SDG3

GOOD

S D G6

CL EANWAT E RGR OW THS D G 1 0

REDUC EDI NS TI TUTI O NS

APPR OACHTO

H UMANANDWEBSITERIGHTSHEALTHSDGAND

S A N I TAT I O N

INEQUALITIESRIGHTSTRAC K ER.

TRAC K ING

The Rights Tracker helps all kinds of people
and organisations—such as journalists,
human rights defenders, investors, and governments—to access high-quality analysis todrive their work forward, and create a more
equitable world.

“The Rights Tracker makes it easy for everyone in the world to see

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative
believes that what gets measured, gets
improved. The Rights Tracker is used by
the New Zealand Chief Ombudsman as an
official benchmark to track the country’s
compliance with torture and democracy
rules. Journalists have reported on poor
Rights Tracker scores in countries all over theworld, with headlines in The Guardian, Al
Jazeera, and more. Civil society organisations
regularly include Rights Tracker data in theirreports, including in UN processes such as
the Universal Periodic Review.

countries. Since the data allow for valid comparisons over time andhow well their country is keeping people safe and allowing themto flourish—which is what human rights promote. Having this information freely accessible means people have an accurate, reliable
resource they can draw on, to help suggest improvements in theiracross countries, it also means they can learn from other countries’
experiences. The data on the Rights Tracker has always been open to
the public, but receiving this [DPG] certification is important because
it provides an additional layer of assurance to users that the Rights
Tracker meets open content standards.”
ANNE-MARIE BROOK
Human Rights Measurement Initiative co-founderA C R O N Y M S I N T R O D U C T I O N D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T E R F R O M T H E D P G
A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T
E R F R O M T H E D P G A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 T H E D P G A S E C R
E T A R I A T T H E D P G A S T R A T E G Y U P D A T E 2 0 2 3 – 2 0 2 8 T H E F I V E Y E A R O B J E C T I V E
S O F T H E D P G A O P E R A T I O N A L T A R G E T S F O R 2 0 2 8 M E M B E R S H I P A N D S T A K E H O
L D E R E N G A G E M E N T C O U N T R Y M E M B E R S H I P A D V O C A T I N G F O R D P G S D P G S 4 D
P I : F R O M T H E D P G C H A R T E R T O T H E 5 0 I N 5 C A M P A I G N I N F O R M A T I O N P O L L U T I
O N A I C O M M U N I T Y O F P R A C T I C E D P G R E G I S T R Y , S T A N D A R D , A N D C O M M U N I T
Y D P G S T A N D A R D A N D T E C H N I C A L I N T E G R A T I O N D P G R E G I S T R Y , P R O D U C T O
W N E R S A N D C O M M U N I T Y E N T H E V D P G S E C O S Y S T E M G A G E M E N T T H E D P G E C O S
Y S T E M D P G A G O V E R N I N G B O A R D C O U N T R Y M E M E B R S H I P S B A N G L A D E S H E T H
I O P I A G U A T E M A L A I N D I A R E P U B L I C O F M O L D O V A R E P U B L I C O F E S T O N I A R W A
N D A S R I L A N K A U G A N D A U S A I D O R G A N I S A T I O N A L M E M B E R S H I P S B I L L & M E L I
N D A G A T E S F O U N D A T I O N D A T A . O R G E G O O R G A N I S A T I O N A L V F O U N D A T I O N F
A O F O U N D A T I O N F O R P U B L I C C O D E G I T H M E M B E R S H I P S B U N G L O B A L P U L S E I
C T I T S R I O I N T E R A M E R I C A N D E V E L O P M E N T B A N K I T U O M I D Y A R N E T W O R K O P E
N K N O W L E D G E F O U N D A T I O N O S D D I G I T A L S Q U A R E A T P A T H P U B L I C D I G I T A L T
H E R O C K E F E L L E R F O U N D A T I O N T H O U G H T W O R K S O S E T C O N C L U S I O N S L E S S OS TA T E O F T H E D I G I TA L P U B L I C G O O D S E C O S Y S T E M

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committed to fighting the greatest inequalities.
Their mission is to create a world where every person has the opportunity to live ahealthy, productive life.
This year, the foundation helped scale up MOSIP DPG adoption
in several countries, and supported the 50-in-5 campaign,and country adoption of the national payment and ID systems
though AfircaNenda and the World Bank’s ID4D.

POOLING FINANCING FOR DPI

The foundation continues to invest in Co-Develop, which aims
to mobilise funding to help countries build DPI that is secure,inclusive, and interoperable and help unlock more donor
funding for DPI globally.

INVESTING IN DPGs

The foundation continues to invest in several DPGs, including DIVOC DPG, DHIS2 DPG, CommCare DPG, Mojaloop DPG,
and MOSIP DPG, as well as iFIX, a part of eGov Foundation’s
DIGIT DPG.
SUPPORTING DPI TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FACILITIESThe Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation
continues to invest in
several DPGs, including
DIVOC, DHIS2,
CommCare, Mojaloop,
MOSIP, and iFix (DIGIT)

The foundation invests in several DPI technical assistancefacilities in the areas of payments, identity, and digital health.
This is through support to organisations and initiatives
including AfricaNenda, the World Bank ID4D, G2PX, Faster
Payments, and Cybersecurity Trust Fund Initiatives, the Data
Use Partnership, and the Carnegie Mellon University Upanzi
Initiative, among others. The impacts of this work is far reaching, including leveraging DPI to deliver gender-intentional
G2P payments and expanding DPI research networks in Africa.

CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT
OF DPI AND DESIGN BEST PRACTICESThe foundation allocates funding to a variety of DPI research
efforts. This includes support for DIAL, the Carnegie Mellon
Cybersecurity Initiative, the J-PAL Africa Digital Financial
Inclusion & Identification Initiative, which focuses on randomized control trials exploring the impact of DPI, and the Alan
Turing Institute’s research on safe ID.

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H E A LT H

O P E N - H E A LT H - S TAC KAND

H EALTHS T A C K DPG L I C E N C E

WEL L - B EI NG

WEB S I TE

R EVO L UTI O NI S I NG

APAC HE-2.0

By using Open Health Stack components
and features, developers everywhere canfocus on building standards based, secure
digital health solutions that are data driven,promote interoperability, and enable future AI
powered applications. Open Health Stack isdesigned to meet the specific needs of developers and implementers developing FHIR
based solutions for deployment in resource
constrained settings.

With Open Health Stack,developers can:
 Build faster: Build FHIR-native Android
apps that are secure, offline-capable, andconfigurable
 Enhance privacy: Control access to sensitive data, enhancing privacy for patients andhealthcare workers

 Unlock insights: Transform data to make iteasier to generate trusted insights faster, enabling more effective decision making acrosshealthcare programs.

Impact through collaboration
We are community oriented and impact
driven. Open Health Stack has been developed in collaboration with WHO and a community of developers with a shared vision for
how standards-based, interoperable digital
health tools, in the hands of frontline community health workers, can help expand accessto quality healthcare everywhere. Today there
is a growing community of developers whoare building and deploying new FHIR based
solutions across Sub-Saharan Africa, South,and SouthEast Asia. Open Health Stack is
a key technical enabler of the WHO Smart
Guidelines initiative making it possible fordevelopers everywhere to easily deploy andrun authoritative evidence based decision
support content produced by the WHO on
Android.

R E L E VA N C E

D EVELOPERS.GOOGLE.C OM /H EALTH CARE

THROUGH

TOOL S

Open Health Stack is a suite of open-source
tools and developer resources designed tohelp accelerate the development of next-gen
digital health solutions that enable equitable
access to high quality, person-centered care.

SDG

Value of DPGs
We believe that everyone, everywhere
deserves access to high quality evidence
based care. With Open Health Stack, we wantto unlock local innovation so that countries
are able to accelerate progress towards the2030 SDGs. Being a DPG is recognition of
our commitment to the SDGs and aligns with
our goals of addressing health equity gaps
through technology.

OPEN-SOURC E

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

data.org
Democratising data, for good. data.org is a platform for partnerships to build thefield of data for social impact. They work with organisations from all over the world toincrease the use of data in order to improve the lives of millions of people.

finalsize is data.org’s
second DPG,
following linelist

In 2023, data.org worked with partners to lead to more
effective and equitable public health solutions globally. They
are building pandemic intelligence collaboration, expanding
pandemic analytics tools, and supporting climate and healthdata practitioners.

professionals and make DPGs more accessible for WHO
country members and partners. The PEI Collaboratory willserve as a space that fosters collaboration, sharing of ideas
and best practices, and joint problem-solving for better publichealth results.

DEVELOPING THE PANDEMIC AND EPIDEMIC

ADDING FINALSIZE TO THE EPIVERSE SUITE OF TOOLSINTELLIGENCE COLLABORATORY

data.org and the Epiverse-TRACE partners have continuously expanded their suite of data analytics software tools forpandemic preparedness and response. A new addition to the
Epiverse suite of tools is finalsize DPG, an R package designed
to calculate the final size of a SIR epidemic in heterogeneous
populations and infection susceptibility. finalsize DPG marks
data.org’s second product that formally recognised as a DPG,
following linelist. These tools have gone through additional
maintenance releases this year. linelist has received a major
update (version 1.0.0) improving its interoperability with otheropen-source scientific software.
This year there are other releases in the pipeline to become
certified DPGs. These include:

As of 2023, data.org is partnering with WHO to increase
the uptake of Epiverse DPGs in low- to middle-income countries. This partnership builds on data.org’s ongoing work with
Epiverse-TRACE partners—The London School of Hygiene &Tropical Medicine, The Medical Research Council Unit The
Gambia, Universidad de los Andes, and Pontificia Universidad
Javeriana—who develop tools locally and via human-centered
design processes to lead to more effective and equitablepublic health solutions.
By leveraging the Epiverse network, data.org will support the WHO Pandemic Hub in developing the “Pandemic
and Epidemic Intelligence (PEI) Collaboratory.” The PEICollaboratory will be tailored for pandemic intelligence

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEM

 Serofoi, an R package that estimates the Force-of-Infectionof a given pathogen based on population sero-prevalence
studies Bpmodels, which provides methods for simulation.
Beyond Epiverse-TRACE, data.org’s Capacity Accelerator
Network (CAN) has partners spanning the African continent
as well as the United States and India. CAN is dedicated todeveloping open curriculum, resources, and interdisciplinary

CONCLUSION

experiential learning programs for data practitioners specialising in the intersection of climate and health. In early 2024,
data.org, in collaboration with its US partners, will release an
open Playbook aimed at assisting institutions in creating theirown data science courses for social impact. Additionally,
data.org sponsored a “Gender Data 101” course that equips
individuals in the social impact sector with the knowledge andcapacity to address development needs through a genderlens.

eGov Foundation
This past year, eGov Foundation concentrated its efforts on expanding its presence in
the Global South. It also broadened its scope by incorporating new use cases, such aslegal case management, sustainable energy, education, and industry.
FACILITATING DATA EXCHANGES ANDPROMOTING SCALABILITY

eGov Foundation facilitated data exchange between DHIS2 DPG
and the DIGIT DPG health campaign management platform inMozambique, integrated DIGIT DPG with Sunbird DPG and Beckn
to develop the AgriStack in Bihar, India, and connected the
DIGIT DPG with Reveal and OpenLMIS DPG for efficient dataexchange and reuse in Liberia.

In addition, eGov Foundation worked to expand the scopeof DIGIT DPG to promote scalability and the adoption of DPI
for effective governance in emerging economies beyond
India. A noteworthy addition to DIGIT’s DPG capabilities was
the integration of Public Health Campaigns Management.
This enhancement enables multiple countries and diseaseprograms to utilise the platform to improve equitable coverage
and efficiency in coordinating efforts among various government agencies involved in public health campaigns. Notably,64

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eGov Foundation collaborated with the Ministry of Health inMozambique to deploy DIGIT DPG for a malaria bednet campaign, which went live in August and successfully distributed
1.7 million bednets to 3 million people. The success of thisdeployment prompted Mozambique to extend and reuse
DIGIT DPG. Partnerships with the Ministry of Health of Liberia
and CHAI in Nigeria have been established, helping DIGIT DPG
reach an additional population of 7.5 million people.

Mozambique’s malaria
bednet campaign
deployed DIGIT’s Public
Health Campaigns
Management tools
to improve coverage
and efficiency

1.7mn
BEDNETS DISTRIBUTED

3mn
PEOPLE REACHED

In 2023, eGov Foundation engaged with 20 countries who
expressed an interest in deploying DPI for governance. In linewith eGov Foundation’s objective of catalysing DPGs in 30
countries by 2030, and the larger ecosystem’s collective ambition of 50-in-5, in 2024 eGov Foundation will: transform country demands into implementation by extending support to a diverse ecosystem of partners to leverage
DIGIT DPG for a variety of use cases in new geographies.
 build local capacities and strengthen implementation
ecosystems by establishing regional Centres of Excellence.
These Centres of Excellence will work towards strengthening
capacities of government officials and practitioners of digital
governance through open knowledge products, workshops,
and trainings, and by building CoPs.
2024 will also provide eGov Foundation the opportunity tofocus on co-creating standards-based, user-friendly, and interoperable DPI. eGov Foundation plans to develop tools such as
sandboxes and workbenches, aimed at simplifying the processof building on and deploying DIGIT DPG across varying technical skill levels. To ensure sustainability, eGov Foundation aims
to build a coalition of local partners and establish regionalField visits to understand real challenges on ground and incorporate user
centricity in program and product design SOURCE / EGOV FOUNDATION

Centres of Excellence which will play a crucial role in fostering local capacity and ecosystem development. Moreover,eGov Foundation will provide advisory support for privacy risk
assessments associated with deployments.

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Food and Agriculture Organization
In the past year, FAO has become a leader in the development and utilisation of DPGs
as tools and knowledge products, making them more accessible and transforming
agricultural practices to empower rural households, young farmers, and entrepreneurs.
DOUBLING THE NOMINATED AND
CERTIFIED DPGs OWNED BY FAO

In 2023, four new DPGs were nominated for certification
including FAO eLearning Academy, Agris, Agrovoc, and theAgricultural Market Information System (AMIS), and more are
currently in the pipeline for DPG recognition.
GREATER UTILISATION OF THE

21%
INCREASE IN THE
USE OF HIHGP

450%
INCREASE IN THE
U S A G E O F D ATA

14.6bnM A P D ATA R E Q U E S T S

HAND-IN-HAND GEOSPATIAL PLATFORM

Compared to last year, Hand-In-Hand Geospatial Platform’s(HIHGP DPG) use increased by 21%; the use of analytics
capabilities tripled through the year, with data use increasing
450%, and total map data requests increasing by 367% or
14.6 billion requests.
FAO has also invested in increased training and capacity
building for HIHGP DPG in various locations including Rwanda,
Kenya, Pakistan, Paraguay, Nicaragua, and Tanzania. In
addition, the HIHGP DPG interface was translated to French,
Spanish, Chinese, and Russian, available now in the six official
UN languages except for Arabic, which is underway, ensuring
access for a broader audience and leaving no one behind.

The new FAO Agroinformatics Platform builds on top of
the HIHGP DPG, providing more data-driven solutions for the
FAO four Betters and SDGs achievement. This underscores
FAO’s commitment to the development and championingof DPGs and making digital tools and knowledge products
more accessible to farmers, transforming agricultural practices to empower rural households, young farmers, andentrepreneurs.
The solutions that are already on FAO Agroinformatics
platform include HIHGP DPG, WaPOR DPG (which won the
GEO SDG Award, Custodian Agency Prize in recognition ofits groundbreaking contribution to the SDGs in 2023), andother tools such as the Rift Valley Fever (RVF) Early Warning
Decision Support Tool (RVF DST), the FAO crop calendar, andthe FAO Digital Services Portfolio DPG.
UPSCALING THE FAO DIGITAL SERVICES
PORTFOLIO TO SRI LANKA AND KAZAKHSTANIn Sri Lanka, FAO developed a comprehensive e-extension pilot platform based on the FAO Digital Services
Portfolio DPG. It includes a mobile application that is reaching66

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110 farmer organisations. In Kazakhstan, the European Bankfor Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and FAO partnered with livestock industry associations to create a free app,
Agrokomek, providing practical knowledge to rural communities—from localised market information on animal feed,veterinary pharmacies and clinics to climate-smart practices,
and a farmer-to-farmer forum.
FAO also actively utilises the following DPGs in supportof its field programme: HIHGP DPG; FAO Digital Services
Portfolio DPG; WaPOR DPG; Open Foris Collect DPG; CKAN DPG
for cataloguing FAO datasets; DHIS2 DPG for observing goodnutrition practices in countries; MET Norway DPG for digitaladvisory prototypes; KoboToolbox DPG for data collection
activities in countries; Moodle DPG serves as the engine behind
FAO’s eLearning Academy; ODK DPG for data collection activities in countries.
Starting in 2024, FAO will continue evolving its DPG
Framework towards a DPG-first approach that seeks to: rearchitect towards a common set of digital building blocks
for agrifood systems transformation;
 promote the reutilization and distribution of FAO’s vast portfolio of food and agriculture DPGs; and ensure DPG uptake helps build local skills and capacity.
The FAO Digital Services Portfolio DPG will benefit froma new product vision and roll out to additional countries
such as Kyrgyzstan, Haiti, and Dominican Republic. The
Agroinformatics platform will be better equipped to produce
advanced information and data, including food security

The Agrokomek app, provides practical and localised information to ruralcommunities in Kazakstan SOURCE / JEREMY HUANG / UNSPL ASH

indicators and agricultural statistics, helping to turn data into
action for sustainable progress. In 2024, FAO will also create
the FAO Digital Impact Exchange—an online, searchable catalogue of digital building blocks, products and use cases for
agriculture and the DPGs that help implement them.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

Foundation for Public CodeThe Foundation for Public Code is a non-profit association whose mission is to enablepublic-purpose software and policy that is open and collaborative. In 2023, Foundation
for Public Code has focused on the evolution and adaptation of DPGs for new contexts.
This year, Foundation for Public Code co-hosted the DPG
and Public Code devroom at FOSDEM. The Foundation
also engaged in ad hoc consultations with DPGs including OpenFisca DPG and Decidim DPG and began supporting
OpenFn DPG in their compliance with the Standard for Public
Code in addition to releasing four iterations of the Standard
for Public Code. Notably, they assisted GOV.UK Notify inprogressing towards becoming a DPG by establishing a CoP
and formulating a plan to meet the Standard for Public Code.
They also transitioned from a member-based organisation to achapter-based one to better serve their members.
PROVIDING CODEBASE STEWARDSHIP TO DPGs

The Foundation for
Public Code acts asa steward, evolving
or adapting DPGs byproviding a model forbuilding open-source
solutions within publicorganisations

The Foundation aims to facilitate the sustainability, marketability, support, and quality of open-source codebases, allowing
them to be successfully reused and community-developed.
Throughout 2023, their collaboration efforts provided
ongoing advice to Estonia, a DPG member, on growing communities and establishing stewardship organisations for DIIA
and other codebases.

MAINTAINING THE STANDARD FOR PUBLIC CODE

The Foundation acts as a steward, evolving or adapting
DPGs by providing a model for building open-source
solutions within public organisations. This model enables
successful collaborations and future reuse by similar publicorganisations elsewhere.
In 2024, Foundation for Public Code will support GOV.UK
Notify in meeting the DPG Standard, provide consultations
with other DPGs like Decidim DPG, OpenFisca DPG, OpenFn DPG,
and X-Road DPG, assess OpenRefine against the Standard for
Public Code, collaborate with other members to include theirtools in DPG capacity-building materials, and maintain theStandard for Public Code.
Foundation for Public Code will also co-host the DPG and
Public Code devroom at FOSDEM 2024, offer training on the
DPG Standard to Digital Square, support new DPGs in meeting the Standard for Public Code, and bring together public
ministries working on DPGs for international development anddomestic digital transformation.

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DP G

S P OT LI G H T

D E C I D I M DPG L I C E N C E

R E DUCE DI N E Q U A LI TI ES

S D G16W E BS I TE

D E CID IM . O R G

S TR ENGTHENI NG

D E CI SI O NPEACE¸

AGPL - 3. 0
JUS TI CE
CI VI CSDG

AND

R E L E VA N C E

STRONG

SDG1 0

INSTITUTIONSPARTIC IPATION

F OR

MA K I N GFounded in 2017, Decidim is a digital platform for citizen participation. It’s a free/libre
and open-source web-based software, written
in Ruby on Rails and maintained by an extensive and active community. It enables community organisers to design their own participative processes by providing a mix-and-match
framework with participatory components
such as a voting system to run consultations,a participatory budgeting system, modules toreceive citizen proposals, and much more.
Decidim is used by a wide array of people and organisations to enable collective
decision-making and participation; fromthe European Union (read the use case) or
the city of New York, to small cooperatives,
Decidim has reached over 3 million people inover 30 countries and has been translated by
the community to 55 languages.

Decidim adoption in Brazil
Recently Decidim was adopted by the government of Brazil (read the use case in Spanish).
Thanks to Brazil’s digital ID, conta.gov.br, andto Brazil’s high index of democratic participation, 1.4 million Brazilians quickly signed
up to participate in Brazil’s first country levelparticipatory budget. Brazil also quickly
built a software community by founding
Decidim Brazil, a community encompassing
several universities, including the Universityof Brasilia, as well as tech communities andRuby communities as they plan to implement
Decidim instances around the country to
mimic the federal participation strategy.

Leveraging Open Source to Scale
Decidim was built by the municipality ofBarcelona, but since the beginning, its

objective was to build a product that could
be re-used by other cities, governments, orteams, so its software architecture is replicable. An NGO was set up for the software andthe code donated to it so that it can maintainits autonomy from the government.
It is not an easy case to have taxpayers invest
in software that will be used outside of its
borders. However, we strongly believe thatsoftware built by governments and for the
public should be built this way. In time, thishas largely paid off. Not only does this modelof building software set Barcelona as an
example of technopolitics and digital democracy in the world, but the large communitythat now uses and contributes to Decidim
helps maintain and grow the software, ultimately making it stronger.

3mn

30+

55

PEOPLE REACHEDPA R T I C I PAT I N G

L A N G U A G E S AVA I L A B L E ,VIA DECIDIM

COUNTRIEST R A N S L AT E D BY T H E C O M M U N I T Y

We identify closely with the DPGA mission
because we see software, good software withgood governance and built for replicability,
can serve millions of people. We see that
smaller organisations, smaller governments
or local governments can take advantage ofgood software that’s already proven and forwhich there is already a good community
so that they can focus on their importantmissions. This culture of sharing also enables
justice which is something we want to contribute to.

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Github
GitHub is a platform for software development and version control that supports
communities and projects that address societal challenges. Their Social Impact Teamis dedicated to leveraging technology and collaboration for positive social change.
ACTIVATING DEVELOPERS PROGRAM

DEVELOPING STANDARDISED METRICS

GitHub has introduced “For Good First Issue,” a curated listof DPGs that require assistance from developers. This tool isdesigned to facilitate non-profits in leveraging the open-source
community. The next steps involve promoting wider adoption
through a marketing campaign, All in Africa, which connects
open-source software developers to curriculum, and helps
establish unified data labelling.

WITH GITHUB DATAOPEN SOURCE IN THE SOCIAL SECTOR TRAINING

GitHub provides training
for community managers
to foster external
contributor communities,
ensuring the long-termsustainability of DPGs

70+
TRAINING HOURSPROVIDED

GitHub’s training program for community managers in thesocial sector has provided over 70 training hours. This program aims to support DPGs by identifying and training community managers to foster external contributor communities,
ensuring the long-term sustainability of DPGs.
EASIER ACCESS TO GITHUB TOOLS FOR DPGs

GitHub is developing a guide on open source in the social
sector to showcase best practices and help social sector
organisations explore and implement open source within
their operations.

GitHub’s research on standardised metrics in the social sector has led to the creation of the Innovation Graph, providing
longitudinal metrics on software development for world
economies as a valuable data resource.
DPG ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS

GitHub’s Social Impact Team is actively engaged in conferences and talks, such as RightsCon and the Internet
Governance Forum, to raise awareness about DPGs andencourage open-source developers to explore and contribute to DPGs.
Looking ahead, the “For Good First Issue” site will continue
to grow. Additionally, the guide on “Easier access to GitHub
tools for DPGs” will be published, and more training content
will be created. In 2024, GitHub plans to collaborate with the
DPGA to establish a funnel for new projects to become DPGsand explore ways to streamline the application process for
DPG status.

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UN Global Pulse
UN Global Pulse is the Secretary-General’s initiative on big data and AI fordevelopment, humanitarian action, and peace. UN Global Pulse activities are
implemented through various partnerships, including through UNOPS and UNDP.
DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS FORSOCIAL AND HUMANITARIAN ACTION

The Data Insights for Social and Humanitarian Action (Disha)initiative, is a UN-led partnership that brings together variousorganisations spanning the humanitarian, data, technology,
and development sectors. The primary objectives of Disha
are centered around the development of decision support
tools that utilise high-frequency data to inform disaster preparedness and response efforts for humanitarian organisations
both within and outside the UN system. Additionally, Disha isfocused on creating practical blueprints for deploying thesetools in new contexts and geographies while assessing andmitigating associated risks.
This year, UN Global Pulse has piloted tools within Disha
that leverage mobile network data, including call patterns andtop-up information, to predict poverty incidence at a granularlevel. These tools also help identify major population movements, assisting in locating vulnerable populations throughout
the climate adaptation process, spanning emergency preparation, response, and recovery. The solution is currently being
tested and validated by three humanitarian organisations in

Disha provides high-frequency data to inform disaster preparedness,
response, and recovery efforts for humanitarian organisations
SOURCE / SAIKIRAN KESARI / UNSPL ASH

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the Philippines, with plans to replicate it for more countries in
2024.
Looking ahead, Disha plans to initiate testing for an aid
targeting decision support tool. This tool will utilise high-resolution satellite imagery to identify damaged buildings following

CONCLUSIONa disaster or conflict. The tool combines the UN’s PulseSatellitewith the SKAI model developed by Google in partnership with
WFP. The aim is to further enhance decision-making processes
in humanitarian actions by leveraging advanced technologies
and data insights.

UN Office of Information andCommunications Technology
OICT is a specialised office within the UN that plays a crucial role in coordinating
and facilitating the effective use of technology across various UN entities. Three key
activities have been initiated to advance the adoption and utilisation of DPGs in 2023.
EQUIPPING UN STAFF WITH OPEN SOURCE KNOWLEDGE

This year, OICT
undertook a Digital
Technology Network
survey of UN system
OSS apps, creating acomprehensive list of
DPGs in use

Mind the Open Source Gap, hosted by OICT and OSET,
brings together UN staff quarterly for discussions on theopportunities and challenges of OSS, with the goal of empowering the UN to fulfill it’s mandate. These sessions facilitate
the exchange of best practices, the creation of collaboration
networks, and the generation of concrete recommendations.
ESTABLISHING OSS CoPAt the UN system level, OICT aims to establish a CoP consisting of technologists from all UN system entities. This

subgroup, co-chaired by OICT and UNFPA, operates under
the Digital Technology Network and ensures collaboration,
coordination, and contribution to various OSS initiatives within
the UN system to avoid duplication and ensure synergies,
cooperation, and alignment.
ORGANISING OSPOs FOR GOOD

OICT, OSET, OSPO++, and OpenForum Europe, organised
a symposium in June, on “OSPOs for Good”. This event
explored the role of OSPOs in digital infrastructure, emphasising the UN SDGs. It highlighted OSPOs as catalysts for open72

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source adoption and cross-border collaboration, setting thestage for a yearly “OSPOs for Good” initiative.
This year, OICT undertook a Digital Technology Network
survey of UN system OSS apps, creating a comprehensive list

CONCLUSION

of DPGs in use. Looking ahead, OICT will organise “OSPOsfor Good 2024,” ensuring continued emphasis on the promotion and adoption of DPGs within the UN system.

ITS Rio
ITS Rio aims at strengthening Brazil, Latin America, and Global South voices ininternational debates on technology, internet, and their regulation. This year, ITS Rioraised awareness of the relationship between DPI and DPGs in Brazil, particularly for
the G20 discussions. They joined the DPGA in October.
PROMOTING DPGs AND DPI IN BRAZIL

In order to better understand available technologies, ITS Rio iscreating a report that maps key potential DPI tools developedin Brazil, such as Pix, gov.br, and Drex. The report will detailwhich components of Brazil’s existing DPI are open source or
certified as DPGs. Additionally, webinars will be conducted
for both national and international audiences to present thefindings from the report.
PROVIDING AN OPEN DPI COURSE

This course will be a live and online, free course for public
servants and relevant stakeholders in Brazil. It aims to educate

participants about the concept of DPI and its applicability inthe Brazilian context, emphasising OSS, alternatives to infrastructure, and available resources in Brazil for initiating new
projects.
In 2024, ITS Rio will focus on reporting on DPGs in Brazil,
capacity building for both private and public actors, and raising awareness as part of Brazil’s G20 presidency in addition
to undertaking new DPG-related work involving both reportingand capacity building.

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DP G
HUNGE RS P OT LI G H T
S D G 3G O O D

PA RT NE R S H I P S
T R A NSF O R MI N G

F O R

VIA OPENHEXA

AND

MI T

WEL L - B EI NG

GOAL SWEB S I TE

P U B LI C

H EALTHDATA

To facilitate the implementation of advanced
data solutions for decision makers,
Bluesquare developed OpenHexa, a data
integration platform tailored for public healthprograms. OpenHexa is an open source ETL
designed specifically for low resource settings. By keeping the end user (i.e. Ministries
of Health) in mind, emphasised focus has

D ATA S O U R C E S I N T E G R AT E D

HEALTHT HE

Health system managers often need toaccess and analyse a variety of datasets tobetter understand complex situations andto design public health policies. This datatypically comes from routine data systems
such as DHIS2 DPG, but can also be collected
through other specialised pipelines such as
logistics management or campaign monitoring. Additionally, data generated outside of
the health system, such as rainfall intensities
or population movements, can be extremely
important.

8

O P E N H E X A DPG L I C E N S E

S D G

S D G4In Ivory Coast, the Direction Générale ofthe Ministry of Health (DGSHP) has rapidly
understood how OpenHexa can be used tofacilitate the monitoring of different sectorsof its activities. Through an implementation,
the DGS (alongside various services andpartners) integrated data flows into a single
consolidated dashboard (using PowerBI)
which covered the availability of drugs, infectious disease surveillance, maternal and childhealth, availability of services, and patientsatisfaction. This dashboard has since been
expanded to cover key programs such as
COVID-19 vaccination and Universal Health
Coverage.
To achieve this outcome, eight different
data sources (including DHIS2 DPG, eSIGL,QUALIT Y

SDG2

ZERO

EDUCATION

SDG1 7

W W W. B L U E S Q U A R E H U B. C O M /O P E N H E X A

MANAGEMEN T

been placed on keeping features both simple
and relevant.

R E L E VA N C E

IN

IVORY

MAGPI, and IASO DPG) were integrated via
OpenHexa. Any integration of new data iseasily automated to ensure the dashboard isseamlessly kept up to date.
At present, Bluesquare is working with various
Ministry of Health services to add additional
data sources, as well as build supplementary
tools for other users within the organisation, using the same infrastructure for data
integration. Understanding—and listening—toour end users needs has allowed Bluesquare
to develop an open-source solution that willsoon be hosted on premises and that is easilytransferable to our partners—an essential stepto building any sustainable data integration
infrastructure.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSION

Inter-American Development BankThe IDB is the main source of development financing for Latin America and the
Caribbean. They joined the DPGA in 2023 and support the 50-in-5 campaign. They
actively support 100+ implementation processes of open-source solutions andadvocate for the strategy of open-source first digital transformation processes incountries in the region.
MAINTAINING THE CODE FOR
DEVELOPMENT REPOSITORY FOR OSSWith the goal of facilitating the dissemination of open-source
solutions within governments of Latin America and the
Caribbean, the Code for Development repository has morethan 215 curated tools, which were developed by the IDB
itself, as well as governments, academia, and various otherorganisations. The repository works as a one-stop-shop for
public managers and contains tools and internal digital infrastructure which promotes the use of DPGs.
OPERATING THE CODE4DEV NETWORK215+
TOOLS IN THE CODE FOR
DEVELOPMENT REPOSITORY

The network, focused on developers working in public administration, is an open and free community. Anyone interested
in learning and / or implementing open source solutions can
exchange ideas with more than 2,000 developers, accessmonthly events that show and teach how to implement thesetools, as well as get in touch with a team that can guide theapplication of open-source in the public sector. The network
has had 18 meetings, with an average of 340 participants per
meeting in 2023.
DEVELOPING OSSRecognising code as a public good, the IDB and all its sectors have opened the source code of more than 60 digitalsolutions owned by the bank, and each year dozens of new
tools are added to the repository of Code for Development.
In 2023, these solutions had more than 116,000 clones
in GitHub and the IDB has actively supported more than ahundred adoptions by governments in Latin America and the
Caribbean.
While Code for Development dissemination efforts generated a spike in the demand for open-source solutions that canbe easily implemented in-house by governments, the greatest
impact of this work has been through the support given to75

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several governments in the region that are interested in structuring in-house governance to allow for the adoption of DPI.
SUPPORTING DPI IMPLEMENTATIONThe IDB has joined the 50-in-5 campaign as a supportingorganisation, focusing on strengthening the agenda in Latin

CONCLUSION

America and the Caribbean, as well as sharing the progress
the region has already achieved. The IDB has partnered withorganisations such as GitHub and the Center for Digital Public
Infrastructure, which are offering pro-bono support for thedevelopment and adoption of DPGs and DPI in countries
across Latin America and the Caribbean.

International Telecommunication Union
ITU is the UN specialised agency for information and communication technologies.
This year, they conducted desk research, a literature review, and ecosystem mappingfor DPG developments. ITU identified key areas to support countries, defined a
open resources management program, and explored potential contributions to the
DPG Registry.
BUILDING DPG CAPACITY TO

INCREASING ADOPTION AND KNOWLEDGE OF DPGs

STRENGTHEN NATIONAL SYSTEMS

By leveraging ITU’s network, they promote the adoption of
the DPG definition and DPG Standard at international andnational levels, particularly regional bureaus and their relationships with countries and governments.
Using a literature review and a series of workshops,
panels, and interviews with DPGs, ITU helped to identify
key open resources, such as open-source software stacks,This work involves constructing an open resources management program and framework to support countries
and DPGs’ local ecosystems. The deployment of opensource technical facilities will contribute to building capacity and strengthening local ecosystems to support DPG
developments.

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open-source AI models, open data, and open content, presently used in developing DPGs at the international level.

CONCLUSIONSUPPORTING DPGs

In 2023, ITU collaborated with several DPGs, including
OpenCRVS DPG, OpenSPP DPG, and MOSIP DPG. Additionally,
they partnered with UNDP as a contributor to the Open Source
Ecosystem Enablement project.

With the deployment of open-source technical facilities, ITU
seeks a strong commitment from target countries and governments to match funds, ensuring more sustainability andbuilding capacity for DPGs.
ITU provides continued support to countries and DPGs byfacilitating awareness raising, and understanding digital government technologies through the GovStack Sandbox.

In 2024, ITU will focus on developing a full framework for theiropen resources management program to support countries
and DPGs in their developments. They also plan to deploy
open-source technical facilities in two target countries andprovide them with full support in education, training, andhands-on experience with pertinent open-source technologies.

Omidyar Network
Omidyar Network is a social change venture that reimagines critical systems, and theideas that govern them, to build more inclusive and equitable societies—for the benefitof the many, not just the few—across the globe.
Omidyar Network helps
build the technicalcapacity of countries
adopting DPGs, andsupports initiatives like
Co-Develop, MOSIP,
and UNECASUPPORTING MOSIPFUNDING UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC

Omidyar Network serves on the Executive Board of
MOSIP DPG and is actively involved in helping them scale.
MOSIP DPG, a DPG for identity, has successfully expanded toover 14 countries, reflecting a substantial accomplishment in
the DPG domain.

COMMISSION FOR AFRICA

Omidyar Network is planning to support the United Nations
Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which aligns
with their commitment to foster the technical capacity ofcountries adopting DPGs.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONCOLLABORATING WITH THE DPGA SECRETARIAT

disinformation at the Nobel Prize Summit. This is, in part, in
recognition of the importance of raising awareness and building widespread consensus around the adoption of DPGs.
Omidyar helps build the technical capacity of countries
adopting DPGs, and supports initiatives like Co-Develop,
MOSIP DPG, and UNECA, as well as closely collaborating with
the DPGA Secretariat via the AI Systems as DPGs CoP.

Omidyar Network helps convene DPGA members to collaborate and advocate for the adoption of DPGs. This year
these efforts were reflected in the DPGA Annual Members’Meeting, and support for the DPGA and UNDP’s campaign tohighlight open-source solutions that can help tackle mis- andIn 2024, Omidyar Network plans to expand the DPG toolkit
to include Generative AI, reflecting on Omidyar Network’scommitment to exploring new avenues and technologies in the
DPG domain.

SCALING FUNDRAISING EFFORTS OF
THE CO-DEVELOP FUND

In 2023, Omidyar Network supported Co-Develop to help
scale with the objective of securing funding for DPGs andtheir adoption.

Open Knowledge Foundation
Since 2004, the OKFN has worked at the intersection of cutting-edge digital tools anda distributed network of communities and movements to serve the public interest with
open knowledge.
SERVING VUNERABLE PEOPLE WITH OPEN DATABASESCKAN is an open-source tool held in trust by OKFN.
Recognised as a DPG in 2023, CKAN DPG powers data portals
globally, and by doing so they help to foster greater transparency. OKFN extends the impact of CKAN DPG to humanitariancauses through partnerships with major refugee agencies,
DPG

notably the UNHCR and their Raw Internal Data Library (RIDL)
project, aiding evidence-based decision-making. In 2023, thisinitiative expanded to the Norwegian Refugee Council throughthe NRC Data Hub, streamlining data for impactful assistanceto 9.8 million people worldwide.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONCHAMPIONING THE DEVELOPMENT OF
OPEN DPI FOR ELECTORAL PROCESSESOKFN advocates for participatory democracy through openness, and has been leading a global alliance for a DPI forelectoral processes, which started collaborating in mid-2023.
Aligned with SDG 16, the initiative looks at all electoral stages,
and is focusing on identifying relevant or needed standards,
API, data portals, and apps. The coalition aims for relevant
tools they identify to eventually be recognised as DPGs andto help promote a more inclusive democracy. This work willcontinue throughout 2024.
UPDATING THE OPEN DATA COMMONSAND REVISITING THE OPEN DEFINITIONOKFN extends CKAN’s
impact to humanitariancauses throughpartnerships with major
refugee agencies,
notably the UNHCR
and their Raw Internal
Data Library project,aiding evidence-based
decision-making

This workstream is geared towards evolving or adapting DPGs
for new contexts. Over a decade ago, OKFN led collaborative
initiatives defining openness in data and content. In 2023,
OKFN initiated a reevaluation addressing emerging topics
like data extractivism and climate justice through consultative
sessions across three continents. In 2024, the focus will be onpresenting updated definitions crucial for open culture ecosystems, aligning with potentially all SDGs.
In 2023, OKFN worked alongside other DPGA members
including UNDP, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, IDB,
and the Foundation for Public Code. These collaborations
involved engaging in conversations or projects related to
the DPI for electoral processes work with UNDP, providing
technological services for the development of an internal dataexchange portal (GDx) for Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,

OKFN collaborations involved engaging in conversations or projects,
including with other DPGA members SOURCE / OKFN

delivering capacity-building workshops for the #Code4Dev
network with IDB, and participating in side events at the last
OGP Summit with the Foundation for Public Code.

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Open Source Initiative
As steward of the Open Source Definition (OSD), the non-profit OSI plays a crucialrole in enabling innovation, equitable access, and freedom to collaborate across all
sectors of society.
The OSD is embedded in the criteria by which software canbe certified as a DPG. Most recently, OSI’s role has been
extended to defining open-source AI to bring similar values
and shared understanding of OSS’s role in this new consequential technology.
DELIVERING A FREE OPEN SOURCE LICENSE CLINIC

OSI’s role has been
extended to defining
open source AI to bringsimilar values andshared understandingof open source
software’s role in thisnew consequential
technology

The public sector has a stake in creating operational efficiencies, innovating to deliver public services. They are also
called to inform policies that impact civil society leveraging
OSS—but need a solid understanding of OSI-approved
licenses. OSI delivered a free Open Source License Clinic in
Washington, DC in the spring of 2023. General licensing andcopyright law, cybersecurity, and AI were workshopped witha group of federal personnel representing twenty agencies.
Plans are now underway for replicating its value and successin 2024.
HOSTING A “DEEP DIVE AI” EDUCATION SERIESAs the relationship between OSS, open data, and open AI
accelerates, a deeper understanding of how these elements

work together, who may benefit, and who may not begs apublic discussion. This relationship brings promises of innovation and improvement in quality of life, while also posing challenges to personal privacy and safety of the public requires
greater public discourse. In particular, concerns around transparency and openness have been raised. Throughout 2023,
the OSI hosted and broadcast Deep Dive AI, a series of online
interviews across the spectrum of society to inform a second
project, Defining Open Source AI.
DEFINING OPEN SOURCE AI

Building on the Deep Dive AI discussions conducted in
2022–2023, OSI began an open public process to defineOpen Source AI. The OSD has underpinned a permissionless,pragmatic, and transparent software development ecosystemfor 25 years. OSI aims to ensure that the same principles may
be applied to AI by running a multi-stakeholder process toco-create an agreed Open Source AI definition. Significant
progress has been made in 2023 including running multiple
conference workshops that included five in-person community
reviews of a draft definition.

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This work includes participation in and collaboration with
the DPGA’s CoP on AI which advocates for responsible useof AI. An Open Source AI definition that embodies principlesof transparency and clarity will be crucial to supporting wider
efforts towards responsible AI. OSI and the AI CoP delivered an AI workshop to its membership at the DPGA Annual
Members’ Meeting.
PRODUCING THE STATE OF THE SOURCE EVENTCONCLUSION

platform to mark progress in the advancement of the use ofopen-source technologies as well as celebrating its use in
new and innovative ways. In 2023 the event was co-locatedas a full day’s track with one of the largest open-source
community events—All Things Open with a focus on AI. OSI
gathered non-profits, academia, and industry to discuss someof today’s most crucial open topics: open source in public
policy, cybersecurity, licenses, and a defining open-source
AI workshop.

In 2019, OSI began producing their annual “State of the
Source”—a virtual event serving as a broad international

Digital Square at PATH
Digital Square at PATH works with ministries of health to align adaptable, interoperable
digital technologies with local health needs and brings partners together to improve
how the global community designs, uses, and pays for digital health tools andapproaches.
LAUNCHING THE GLOBAL GOODS GUIDEBOOK 4.0

The Global Goods Guidebook 4.0, launched in May, serves
as a valuable tool to promote the use of DPGs by showcasing
their value, supporting their adoption by countries, and generating sustained interest, investment, and support. Version 4.0
featured 36 global goods and introduced sections addressing

evolving needs in digital health, including standards, security,and the benefits of becoming a global good.
HOSTING GLOBAL GOODS INNOVATORS SUMMITIn June, Digital Square hosted the Global Goods Innovators
Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with 115 global goods

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innovators, developers, implementers, and donors. This event,
aimed at incubating DPGs, provided a platform for learning,problem-solving, and testing new ideas. The summit’s focus on
security, data privacy, standards, interoperability, and sustainability remains integral to Digital Square’s work.
INTRODUCTING AN IMPROVED TOOL FOR
ESTIMATING THE COST OF DIGITAL HEALTH

Digital Square launched an updated Sustainability Calculator
designed to estimate the cost of delivering sustainable digital
health in a country. This tool, based on costed digital healthroadmap data from 13 African countries, provides a high-levelcost-per-person estimate and supports countries in planningtheir digital health transformation.
NOTICE G1 LAUNCHES FIRST CALL
FOR CONTENT GLOBAL GOODS

Digital Square has
contributed to theavailability of reputable,
flexible, mature, andinteroperable global
goods in the digital
health ecosystem,
empowering countries
to select tools thatbest meet their digitaltransformation needs
across all levels of thehealth system

Digital Square also played a role in incubating DPGs by callingfor new software and content global goods through Notices
G0 and G1. The announcement of new software global goods
through Notice G0 and the launch of the first call for content
global goods through Notice G1 expanded the repertoire ofavailable tools, with a significant portion being developed in
Africa and Asia.
UPDATING MATURITY MODELS

Additionally, Digital Square updated maturity models for digital
health tools to help identify areas of investment for global
goods. The organisation revised its maturity model for software global goods and introduced a new model for content

Attendees of the Global Goods Innovators Summit brainstorm discussion
topics SOURCE / DIGITAL SQUARE

global goods. These updates reflect Digital Square’s commitment to continuous improvement, enhancing the availability,
adaptability, and maturity of digital health global goods.
Digital Square provides continued support for the development, adoption, and reuse of DPGs for health. Digital Squarehas contributed to the availability of reputable, flexible, mature,and interoperable global goods in the digital health ecosystem. This, in turn, empowers countries to select tools that best
meet their digital transformation needs across all levels of thehealth system.

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Public Digital
Public Digital recognises that digital transformation is the act of radically changing how
an organisation works, so that it can survive and thrive in the internet era. Public Digital
joined the DPGA in November.
SUCCESS CONDITIONS FOR OPEN SOURCE

Public Digital will be revisiting the report that was published in
2021 on creating the conditions for success with open source
in government, publishing an update that bridges those findings with recent developments in this fast-developing field.
HOSTING A ROUNDTABLE FOR FUNDERS

Public Digital will be following up on a roundtable on funding
digital initiatives from 2020, organising a fresh convening ofdigital initiative funders. This convening will connect those
who are struggling to make their work sustainable due to thenature of the funding they can access, with funders who arekeen to find new ways to address that challenge.
Public Digital will continue to support digital teams working
to transform their institutions and improve outcomes for
citizens. Those teams are at the heart of digital progress, withthe unique capacity to make use of tools and practices—like
DPGs—and apply them to meeting outcomes.

As part of their roadmap activities, Public Digital will be revisiting theirreport on governments using open source SOURCE / PUBLIC DIGITAL83

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Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation’s mission is to promote the well-being of humanity
throughout the world. The Foundation advances new frontiers of science, data, policy,
and innovation to solve global challenges related to health, food, power, and economic
mobility. This year, they’ve provided support for a Climate DPI working group, andprovided funding for Artha Global to advance DPI conversations with partners.

In order to scale DPI
uptake that is focusedon DPGs as building
blocks, Rockefeller
Foundation provided
incubation funding
for the launch of the
Co-Develop Fund toadvance DPI adoption
globally

MOBILISING AND ADVOCATING FOR DPGs

 and an integration sandbox to support the development of

In 2023, Rockefeller Foundation provided incubation support
to Mojaloop DPG, a DPG that can be used for financial services companies, government regulators, and others taking
on the challenges of interoperability and financial inclusion.
They also provided support to Public Digital, another DPGA
member, for a government convening series on digital solutions, including DPGs.

solutions adhering to the blueprint and specifications.

FUNDING THE SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT OF G2P CONNECT

In order to further promote .the use of DPGs, Rockefeller
Foundation provided funding to advance and support G2PConnect, an open source effort to support the digital deliveryof G2P payments offerings. This resulted in: a technology architecture blueprint that is plug-and-play; a set of integration specifications to ensure interoperability
across the systems supporting G2P delivery;

SETTING UP THE CO-DEVELOP FUND
AND ADVANCING DPI

In order to scale DPI uptake that is focused on DPGs asbuilding blocks, Rockefeller Foundation provided incubation
funding for the launch of the Co-Develop Fund to advance
DPI adoption globally.

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Thoughtworks
Thoughtworks is a global technology consultancy that integrates strategy, design,and software engineering to enable enterprises and maintain DPGs including Cloud
Carbon Footprint and Bahmni .
DPG

DPG

UPDATING CLOUD CARBON FOOTPRINT

In the first half of 2023, the on prem version 1 of Cloud
Carbon Footprint DPG was created and released. There werealso ongoing updates to improve the cloud version of Cloud
Carbon Footprint DPG in 2023. These improvements focusedon accuracy through integration with electricity map, UX, andperformance upgrades. A new cloud provider is also in beta,
Alibaba Cloud, and additional support, filtering, and aggregation has been implemented.
CREATING JUGALBANDI

Thoughtworks have worked with Agami, an organisation focused on social justice, to create a solution called
Jugalbandi. It combines large language models, local language support, as well as an integration to chat tools such as
WhatsApp and Telegram in order to provide information to
citizens in a manner that they can understand, consume, andbenefit from. Users can also upload their documents and talkto them in the language of their choice. Many NGOs havefound it useful and have started their AI journey using thisopen-source code. Efforts are ongoing to integrate this into
Indian courts and local governments.
WORKING IN COALITION ON BAHMNIThe Bahmni DPG coalition worked with SNOMED International
to showcase how the Bahmni DPG electronic medical record
integrates with SNOMED FHIR Terminology server, to leverage advantages of the SNOMED classification system, inareas of recording clinical data, reporting, CDSS, analysis,
etc. This work was funded by SNOMED International andinvolved team members from Thoughtworks, Beehyv, andIntellisoft Consulting.
In collaboration with CURE International, Thoughtworks
has been working on adding in-patient department features in
Bahmni DPG to record and manage patient data from admission
to discharge—for example, drug chart (MAR), ward view,
nurse dashboard, discharge summary, etc. All this work is
being done in React  /  Carbon UI. This work is in progress andexpected to be released in March 2024.
In 2023, Bahmni DPG cleared security certifications fora pilot deployment with the Government of Karnataka.

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Thoughtworks also worked on anonymization features related
to bulk export of patient data. This year, Bahmni DPG also
added more FHIR support. Examples are the creation of abulk export feature for patients which has FHIR NDJson bundles and supports anonymisation. The new Lab Lite featurein Bahmni Lite has been enhanced with FHIR code extensions. As part of Thoughtworks’ work with SNOMED, theyalso added new Clinical Decision Support functionality thathas been implemented over FHIR. And, Thoughtworks hasdone significant work on keeping their integration with India’s
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission health network for episodesof care and various out patient department use-cases.
CREATING AN EASY-TO-USE BAHMNI LITE

Bahmni Lite, an outof-the-box version of
Bahmni, was createdin 2022 to enable
smaller clinics torun multiple clinics
from one instance,
reducing hardware andoperational overheads

Bahmni DPG is an easy-to-use, open-source, electronic medical
record and hospital system. Bahmni Lite, an out-of-the-box
version for smaller clinics was created in 2022 and work
continues to enable multiple clinics to run from one instance,
reducing hardware and operational overheads for users.
Bahmni Lite is targeted towards clinics and small hospitals
which don’t need a heavy-weight HIMS, but are looking foran easy-to-use electronic medical record and billing software.
Bahmni Lite contains Bahmni DPG electronic medical record(backend is OpenMRS DPG), Crater (billing and invoicing
solution) and Metabase for Analytics—and is cloud ready forquick deployment. Bahmni Lite was released in June.
INTEGRATING OFFLINE DATA RECORDING

As part of a pilot with the Government of Karnataka,Thoughtworks built an offline app called Bahmni outreach

The Bangladesh Government has been an early adopter of Bahmni,
implemented as a pilot in 2016 and rolled out to 50 facilities by 2018
SOURCE / BAHMNI.ORG

based on the Avni Project. This will allow capture of data
remotely in non-internet locations by Community Healthworkers.
A solution based on Bahmni Lite has been piloted in five
Health and Wellness Centers in the state of Karnataka sinceAugust.

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONUN Office of the Secretary-General’s
Envoy on Technology
OSET is dedicated to advancing the digital cooperation agenda of the UN,
ensuring that technological advancements benefit all of humanity while mitigating
associated risks.
This year, OSET launched the Universal Safeguards for DPI
Initiative and the OSPOs for Good conference, they also
made significant contributions as a supporter of the 50-in-5
campaign and as a workshop host at the DPGA Annual
Members’ Meeting.
LAUNCHING UNIVERSAL SAFEGUARDS FOR DPIThe Universal Safeguards for DPI initiative, represents a UN
High-Impact endeavour aimed at adapting and evolving
DPI for new contexts. This initiative is strategically positioned to mitigate potential risks of DPI to citizens whileempowering governments to leverage its potential forachieving the SDGs.

ORGANISING OSPOs FOR GOOD CONFERENCE

Focusing on adapting DPGs for new contexts, the Open
Source Program Offices (OSPOs) for Good conference
fostered collaboration between OSPOs globally. Organisedby the OSET and the UN OICT, this conference facilitated theconnection between the broader open-source movement
and the DPG ecosystem. In the future, OSPOs for Good will
involve a more concentrated collaboration between OSPOs in
the Global South and Global North.
In 2024 OSET plans to deepen its engagement as part of
50-in-5, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing contributions and advancements within the DPGs for DPI landscape.

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A C R O N Y M S I N T R O D U C T I O N D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T E R F R O M T H E D P G
A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 D P G A M I S S I O N & M E M B E R S L E T T
E R F R O M T H E D P G A C O - L E A D S D I G I T A L P U B L I C G O O D S I N 2 0 2 3 T H E D P G A S E C R
E T A R I A T T H E D P G A S T R A T E G Y U P D A T E 2 0 2 3 – 2 0 2 8 T H E F I V E Y E A R O B J E C T I V E
S O F T H E D P G A O P E R A T I O N A L T A R G E T S F O R 2 0 2 8 M E M B E R S H I P A N D S T A K E H O
L D E R E N G A G E M E N T C O U N T R Y M E M B E R S H I P A D V O C A T I N G F O R D P G S D P G S 4 D
P I : F R O M T H E D P G C H A R T E R T O T H E 5 0 I N 5 C A M P A I G N I N F O R M A T I O N P O L L U T I
O N A I C O M M U N I T Y O F P R A C T I C E D P G R E G I S T R Y , S T A N D A R D , A N D C O M M U N I T
Y D P G S T A N D A R D A N D T E C H N I C A L I N T E G R A T I O N D P G R E G I S T R Y , P R O D U C T O

CONCLUSIONSW N E R S A N D C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G C O N C L U S I O N E M E N T T H E D P G E C O S Y S T E M D P
G A G O V E R N I N G B O A R D C O U N T R Y M E M E B R S H I P S B A N G L A D E S H E T H I O P I A G U
A T E M A L A I N D I A R E P U B L I C O F M O L D O V A R E P U B L I C O F E S T O N I A R W A N D A S R I L
A N K A U G A N D A U S A I D O R G A N I S A T I O N A L M E M B E R S H I P S B I L L & M E L I N D A G A T
E S F O U N D A T I O N D A T A . O R G E G O V F O U N D A T I O N F A O F O U N D A T I O N F O R P U B L I
C C O D E G I T H U B U N G L O B A L P U L S E O I C T I T S R I O I N T E R A M E R I C A N D E V E L O P M E
N T B A N K I T U O M I D Y A R N E T W O R K O P E N K N O W L E D G E F O U N D A T I O N O S D D I G I T A
L S Q U A R E A T P A T H P U B L I C D I G I T A L T H E R O C K E F E L L E R F O U N D A T I O N T H O U G H
T W O R K S O S E T C O N C L U S I O N S L E S S O N S L E A R N E D L O O K I N G A H E A D A P P E N D I X

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THE DPG ECOSYSTEMCONCLUSIONLESSONS LEARNEDThis year has been a journey of growth, adaptation, alignment, and maturity for the DPGA.
It’s been inspiring to see members using and creating new tools, including the experiential centres
and innovation sandboxes to ensure more adoption and long term support for DPGs. These platforms
are becoming hubs for hands-on experience and learning, fostering a culture of tech enablement andexploration. Such reusable testing environments are critical tools for the effective utilisation of DPGs. They
allow for experimentation and learning, providing a more nuanced understanding of DPGs in use, including
their relevance for meeting particular contextual needs.
This increased emphasis on creating conditions for successful adoption of DPGs is complemented byconversations around maturity and scaling that unfolded this year in many fora, including CoPs, and the
DPGA Annual Members’ Meeting. It became clear that for DPGs to thrive long-term, these discussions areindispensable. They are not just a matter of logistical necessity, but a cornerstone for sustainable impact.
Resistance to change is a perennial challenge, and this year was no different. The introduction of new
ideas and concepts often met with inertia. However, these experiences underscored the importance ofeffective communication and trust building. It’s not just about introducing new technology, but also about
preparing people for the transition, addressing their concerns, and guiding them through the process.

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The year taught us that clear, strategic communication is essential to the DPG ecosystem, particularly
when it comes to securing funding and maintaining stakeholder trust. This goes beyond messaging, toinclude engaging in meaningful dialogues, understanding community needs, and responding effectively
in order to increase awareness and drive change.
We’re deeply inspired by the rapidly growing community of DPGA member countries who areembedding open source and DPGs as pillars of their national digitalisation strategies and policies. This
involved both the adoption and sharing of DPGs, as well as sharing of learnings and best practices
between countries.
For organisations expanding their international reach, a set of best practices emerged. These included
the importance of co-creating with local teams, ensuring solutions were relevant and sustainable, and keeping
things simple. Alongside this, there was a focus on building capacity from the outset, ensuring ownership andempowerment of local stakeholders, and maintaining a user-centric approach. Awareness and trust in DPGs
were also highlighted as ongoing challenges. This is critical as decision-makers need clear, reliable sourcesof information alongside real-world examples to build trust and make informed decisions.
This year the DPGA and the broader DPGs community worked together to be more than the sum of
our parts. We are aligned in the belief that these open-source technologies can be a force for cooperation,
local value creation, and trust we need in the world, and the lessons we learned this year make us stronger
when we share them. These lessons learned are not just a reflection of the past, but a roadmap for the future,
guiding the way towards more effective, impactful, and sustainable implementation of DPGs.

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T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F B A N G L A D E S H B I L L & M E L I N D A G A T E S F O U N D A T I O N B O I
D P G A R E P O R T S T A T E I O F I T H E I D I G I T A L I P U B L I C I G O O D S I E C O S Y S T E M I 2 0 2 3 S D G G O A L
D A T A . O R G D I G I T A L I M P A C T A L L I A N C E E G O V F O U N D A T I O N E K S T E P F O U N D A T
I O N T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F E T H I O P I A F O O D A N D A G R I C U L T U R E O R G A N I Z A T I O
N F O U N D A T I O N F O R P U B L I C C O D E G E R M A N F E D E R A L M I N I S T R Y F O R E C O N O M I
C C O O P E R A T I O N A N D D E V E L O P M E N T G I T H U B T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F G U A T E M A
L A U N G L O B A L P U L S E I N D I A ’ S M I N I S T R Y O F E L E C T R O N I C S A N D I N F O R M A T I O
N T E C H N O L O G Y U N O F F I C E O F I N F O R M A T I O N A N D C O M M U N I C A T I O N S T E C H N
O L O G Y I N S T I T U T E F O R T E C H N O L O G Y A N D S O C I E T Y I N T E R - A M E R I C A N D E V E L
O P M E N T B A N K I N T E R N A T I O N A L T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N U N I O N I S P I R T T H E G O
V E R N M E N T O F M O L D O V A N O R W E G I A N A G E N C Y F O R D E V E L O P M E N T C O O P E R A T
I O N O M I D Y A R N E T W O R K O P E N K N O W L E D G E F O U N D A T I O N T H E O P E N S O U R C E I
N I T I A T I V E D I G I T A L S Q U A R E A T P A T H P U B L I C D I G I T A L T H E R E P U B L I C O F E S T O
N I A ’ S M I N I S T R Y O F F O R E I G N A F F A I R S T H E R O C K E F E L L E R F O U N D A T I O N R W A
N D A ’ S M I N I S T R Y O F I C T A N D I N N O V A T I O N T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F S I E R R A L E O N
E T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F S R I L A N K A T H O U G H T W O R K S T H E U G A N D A M I N I S T R Y O
O F I C T A N I O D N A T I O N A L C O L L A B O R A T I V E A M O M E N T U M G U I D A N C E T H E O F F I C I
O F T H E S E C R E T A R Y - G E N E R A L ’ S E N V O Y O N T E C H N O L O G Y U N D P U N I C E F U S A I D