E-Government and sustainable development

Aligning Government and Public service digital
transformation with Sustainable development
Goals (SDG’s)
Soumaya I. Ben Dhaou, Ph.D
Research Fellow

transformation with SDG’s
SAMOS | 20 July 2018 | 2
Agenda
1. UNU & UNU-EGOV
2. Sustainable development Goals
3. SDG’s and Information Communication Technologies
4. How e-government can contribute to SDG’s
5. Challenges and implications of the SDG’s with ICT

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UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY
• To carry out policy-relevant research
• To translate research findings into relevant policy instruments
• To build capacity and maintain research and policy networks
MISSION

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UNU-EGOV - MISSION
UNU_EGOV : Operating Unit on policy-driven
Electronic Governance:
• a think tank dedicated to Electronic
Governance
• a core centre of research, advisory services
and training
• a bridge between research and public
policies
• an innovation enhancer
• a solid partner within the UN system and its
Member States with a particular focus on
sustainable development, social inclusion
and active citizenship.
… striving to cement its role
as an international reference
of excellence, bringing
together multidisciplinary and
multicultural teams around
complex problems and
emerging challenges
UNU-EGOV is Part of the
United Nations
University and based in
the city of Guimarães,
north of Portugal.

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UNU-EGOV – CORE RESEARCH PROGRAMME 2017-19
Digital Transformation for Better Governance and Sustainable Development

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UNU-EGOV – CORE RESEARCH PROGRAMME 2017-19

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UNU-EGOV & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Digital transformation as a net contributor to the 2030 Agenda
• Commitment to inclusiveness
• Trustworthy infrastructures
• Effective and Accountable institutions

The sustainable development goals

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Sustainable Development: Definition
The development that takes into account the needs of the current society in a
way that ensures economic and social prosperity and the achievement of
development and environmental needs without prejudice to the rights of the
future generations and meet their needs.

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September
25th 2015
Countries adopted a set of goals to stimulate
action for people, planet, prosperity, peace and
partnership
as part of a new sustainable development plan
SDGs
17
Associated targets
169
Sustainable Development Goals

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Principle : In order to leave no one behind…
In committing to the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,
• recognize that the dignity of the individual is fundamental and that the Agenda’s Goals and
targets should be met for all nations and people and for all segments of society
• reach first those who are furthest behind – including children, youth, persons with disabilities,
people living with HIV, older persons, indigenous peoples, refugees, internally displaced
persons and migrants –
• End extreme poverty in all its forms, and reducing inequalities among both individuals
(vertical) and groups (horizontal).
• prioritisatise and fast-track of actions for the poorest and most marginalised people – known
as progressive universalism.

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What is new and different about the 17 SDGs?
First, and most important, these Goals apply to every nation … and every sector. Cities,
businesses, schools, organizations, all are challenged to act. This is called
Universality

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Second, it is recognized that the Goals are all inter-connected, in a system. We cannot aim to
achieve just one Goal. We must achieve them all. This is called
Integration

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And finally, it is widely recognized that achieving these Goals involves making very big,
fundamental changes in how we live on Earth. This is called
Transformation

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For the goals to be reached, everyone needs to do their part
Governments Private sector Civil society People like you
People

E-Government and sustainable development

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#1: End
poverty in all
its forms
everywhere
One in five people in developing regions still live on less than $1.90 a day

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#2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved
nutrition

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#3: Ensure
healthy lives
and promote
well-being for
all at all ages

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#4: Ensure
inclusive and
quality
education for all
and promote
lifelong learning

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#5: Achieve
gender
equality and
empower
women and
girls

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#6: Ensure access to
water and sanitation
for all

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#7: Ensure access
to affordable,
reliable,
sustainable and
modern energy for
all

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#8: Promote inclusive
and sustainable
economic growth,
employment and
decent work for all

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#9: Build resilient
infrastructure,
promote
sustainable
industrialization
and foster

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#10: Reduce
inequality within
and among
countries

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#11: Make cities
inclusive, safe,
resilient and

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#12: Ensure
sustainable
consumption and

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#13: Take urgent
action to combat
climate change and
its impacts*

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#14: Conserve
and sustainably
use the oceans,
seas and
marine
resources

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#15: Sustainably manage
forests, combat desertification,
halt and reverse land
degradation,
halt biodiversity loss

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#16: Promote just, peaceful
and inclusive
societies

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#17: Revitalize
the global
partnership for
sustainable
development

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Each goal
is
important
in itself …

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Each goal
is
important
in itself …
And they
are all
connected

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What are the 6 elements for delivering the SDG’s
1. Dignity: to end poverty and fight inequality
2. People: to ensure healthy lives, knowledge
and the inclusion of women and children
3. Prosperity: to grow a strong, inclusive and
transformative economy
4. Planet: to protect our ecosystems for all societies
and our children;
5. Justice: to promote safe and peaceful societies
and strong institutions; and
6. Partnership: to catalyse global solidarity for
sustainable development.
DPAM & UNDESA: [Synthesis report of the Secretary-General on the post-2015 sustainable development agenda]

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SDG and Information Communication Technologies
• None of the 17 SDGs is specifically about ICTs and only a few of the 169
targets
• However widely recognised that ICTs have a key role to play in the targets
and the goals
• And some have welcomed their omission to avoid ICT-hype and to
emphasise ICTs as only one contributor to development processes

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SDG and Information Communication Technologies
• None of the 17 SDGs is specifically about ICTs and only a few of the 169
targets
• However widely recognised that ICTs have a key role to play in the targets
and the goals
• And some have welcomed their omission to avoid ICT-hype and to
emphasise ICTs as only one contributor to development processes

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SDGs and ICT/ SDGs targets related to ICTs
While none of the SDGs is specifically about ICTs, several targets make references to ICTs and
technology
• 1.4) By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights
to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other
forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services,
including microfinance
• 4.3) By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational
and tertiary education, including university
• 4.4) By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including
technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
• 4.b) By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries,
in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment
in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology,
technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing
countries
• 5.b) Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications
technology, to promote the empowerment of women
• 9.1) Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and
transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on

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SDGs and ICT/ SDGs targets related to ICTs
• 9.5) Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in
particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number
of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development
spending
• 9.c) Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide
universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
• 16.10) Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national
legislation and international agreements
• 17.6) Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to
science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through
improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global
technology facilitation mechanism
• 17.7) Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound
technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as
mutually agreed
• 17.8) Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism
for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information
and communications technology
• 17.16) Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder
partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the
achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
• 17.17) Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the
experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

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SDGs and ICT/ SDG indicators related to ICTs
43
ITU highlight the role that ICTs will play in achieving the SDGs.
- Contributing to define the indicators that will be used to track the SDGs
- Proposing a report including the following 7 ICT indicators covering 6 targets under Goals 4, 5,
9, and 17. (The organization indicated in brackets tracks the indicator at the international level).
Proposed SDG indicators related to ICTs
• Target 4a: Proportion of schools with access to the Internet for pedagogical purposes
• Target 4a: Proportion of schools with access to computers for pedagogical purposes
• Target 4.4: Proportion of youth/adults with ICT skills, by type of skills
• Target 5b: Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex
• Target 9c: Percentage of the population covered by a mobile network, broken down by
technology
• Target 17.6: Fixed Internet broadband subscriptions, broken down by speed
• Target 17.8: Proportion of individuals using the Internet

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WSIS Action Lines Facilitator
С1. The role of public governance authorities and all stakeholders in the
promotion of ICTs for development
ECOSOC/UN Regional Commissions/ITU
С2. Information and communication infrastructure ITU
C3. Access to information and knowledge ITU/UNESCO
C4. Capacity building UNDP/UNESCO/ITU/UNCTAD
C5. Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs ITU
C6. Enabling environment ITU/UNDP/UN Regional Commissions/ UNCTAD
C7. ICT Applications
• E-government
• E-business
• E-learning
• E-health
• E-employment
• E-environment
• E-agriculture
• E-science
UNDP/ITU
WTO/UNCTAD/ITU/UPU
UNESCO/ITU/UNIDO
WHO/ITU
ILO/ITU
WHO/WMO/UNEP/UN-Habitat
ITU/ICAO
FAO/ITU
UNESCO/ITU/UNCTAD
C8. Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content UNESCO
C9. Media UNESCO
C10. Ethical dimensions of the Information Society UNESCO/ECOSOC
C11. International and regional cooperation UN Regional
Commissions/UNDP/ITU/UNESCO/ECOSOC
WSIS Action Lines for SDGs
44

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C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6
C7
e-gov
C7
e-bus
C7
e-lea
C7
e-hea
C7
e-emp
C7
e-env
C7
e-agr
C7
e-sci
C8 C9 C10 C11
SDG 1
SDG 2
SDG 3
SDG 4
SDG 5
SDG 6
SDG 7
SDG 8
SDG 9
SDG 10
SDG 11
SDG 12
SDG 13
SDG 14
SDG 15
SDG 16
SDG 17
WSIS ALs for SDGs: Matrix
45

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E-Government and Sustainable development goals
A new United Nations report has brought e-government into focus by calling it
an effective tool to help support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs).
Public administration and Government plays a critical role in improving:
• Social inclusiveness
• Economic Growth
• Environmental protection

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E-Government for sustainable development
Social sustainability
• Achieve distributional equity,
adequate provision of social
services including health and
education, gender equity and
political accountability and
participation. (Harris, J.)
E-Government & Social
sustainability
• E-education
• E-Health Services
• Security
• Transportation
• Community planning
• Inclusive social safety
• Service to vulnerable groups
• Welfare Networks
• Youth Engagement
• Silver innovation

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Economic sustainability
• An economically sustainable
system must be able to produce
goods and services on a continuing
basis, to maintain manageable size
of government and external debt
and to avoid sectoral imbalances
(maintain diversity) (Harris, Tuft U.)
E-Government & Economic
sustainability
• Online integrated business registry
• Easy property registration systems
• Open Data licensed for commercial
use
• Easy tax payment systems
• Innovative agricultural programmes
• Employment opportunities portals

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Environment sustainability
• Sustainable development is (1)
development subject to a set of
constraints which set resource harvest
rates at levels not higher than
managed natural regeneration rates
and (2) use of the environment as a
waste sink on the basis that waste
disposal rates should not exceed rates
of managed or natural assimilative
capacity of the ecosystem (Pearce)
E-Government & Environment
sustainability
• MyEnvironment
• Citizen-participation
• Greenhouse emissions
• Monitor energy, water consumption for
savings
• Green procurement
• Disaster management

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E-Governance for development
• Bringing together both e-governance and sustainable development
• Enhancement of the capacity of government agencies for public service delivery through process of ICT-
enabled reform
• Using ICT to support the delivery of accessible & affordable services that are most needed by poor
• Enabling through ICT the increased participation of the disadvantaged groups in society in government decision-making
• Political system
• Administrative system
• Civil society
• Society
• Environment
• Economy
E-Governance Sustainable development
e-Governance
Sustainable
Development
Political System
Administrative System
Civil Society
Society
Environment
Economy
Bringing together both e-governance and sustainable development
Enhancement of the capacity of government agencies for public service delivery through process of ICT-
enabled reform
Using ICT to support the delivery of accessible & affordable services that are most needed by poor
Enabling through ICT the increased participation of the disadvantaged groups in society in government
decision-making
Pokorny, J.G (2012)

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Brainstorming
• How can eGov 3.0 contributes to the SDG’s ?
• What are the enablers of the alignment of eGov and
SDG ?
• What are the challenges of the alignment?

CHALLENGES OF THE ADOPTIONS AND
IMPLEMENTATIONS

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SDG implementation challenges with the ICT
According to Unwin et al. (2015; 2018); ITU (2017); WEF (2017)
• Too many goals (17) and targets (169) : Leading to diffusion of effort and lack of focus, not only within the ‘global system’,
but also in individual countries.
• Target setting is problematic: Tends to lead to resources being directed towards delivering measurable targets and not
enough to the factors that will actually reduce inequalities and empower the poorest.
• SDGs remain largely concerned with absolute poverty rather than relative poverty.
• Goals and targets represent the interests of those organisations driving the SDG agenda
• The need to monitor progress against the goals/targets will further expand the “development industry”, and consultants and
organisations involved in such monitoring and evaluation will benefit hugely.
• issues need to be addressed before there can be any validity in the claim that ICTs can indeed contribute to sustainable
development
• Contradiction between SDG10 “reduce inequalities within and between countries” and the rest of the SDG’s that are
promoting Economic Growth
• fundamental tension between the notions of “sustainability” (focusing on maintaining and sustaining certain things) and
“development” (which is fundamentally about change) – ICT are fundamentally for the change.
• business models upon which many ICT companies are built are fundamentally based on “unsustainability” rather than
“sustainability”
• The ICT industry itself has had significant climatic and environmental impacts as well as giving rise to moral concerns The
ICT industry itself has had significant climatic and environmental impacts as well as giving rise to moral concerns

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CHALLENGES: MULTI-GOVERNANCE
Figure 1 summarizes the article in one graphic overview, which may be used as a reference “mind
map” during the setting up and management of governance frameworks for the implementation of
the SDGs.
Figure 1. Common but Differentiated Governance for the Sustainable Development Goals:
A “mind map” (own composition).
2. The Principle of “Common But Differentiated Governance” (CBDG)

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Key Enablers of SDG’s implementation in the e-government strategies
Lessons Learned:
1. Create Political Support for Sustainable Development
In this case the rationale is that in reality there is a large gap that exists between experts and advocates on sustainable development and
politicians
Those advocates, scientists and experts should narrow the divide and work with politicians and government entities in order to raise
awareness about the potential benefits of sustainable policies
2. Engage the Public in identifying and developing solutions that help them the most
Use common-sense approach and establish those services that citizens will use, identify with and benefit them. Citizens see the benefit
directly, they are more likely to keep using the services and [training and education is important]
Examples: Korea with those e-services that are most used (resident registration, land, national defense, etc...), Kenya crop mkt. prices
available through SMS (save time, $)
3. Utilize institutional arrangements and International Cooperation for sustainable development
High-level government commitment to sustainable develop articulated through a common strategic objective which can also inform
governance at the local level
Institutional processes for ensuring meaningful participation of all civil society partners, including the private sector and local government
thereby facilitating public awareness regarding sustainable development issues
By utilizing outside organizations (NGOs and private sector - PPP), implementation can be enhanced and sped or scaled up as well as
efficiency increased. If partnerships are established for project implementation, local communities can realize very real empowerment and
ownership [Example: Korea Information Network Village (INVIL).

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Conclusions
• Without a doubt, ICTs and e-governance contribute positively to both socio-economic and sustainable development
• Contribute to help realize 2030 Agenda on the 17 SDGs
• By using ICT and e-Government services, it supports the delivery of accessible & affordable services that are most needed
by poor
• Rural business productivity and effectiveness tend to increase once farmers and
small land holders gain access to ICT – it is certainly true for many owners of farms, forestry and fishery businesses as they
can utilize ICTs in order to receive text messages containing information on market prices of their products, weather patterns
and forecasts and the availability of fertilizers
• Real-world examples (Bangladesh Info Ladies, Korea’s Information Network Village [INVIL]) prove that by laying the
foundation to information services and access brings sustainable development and empowerment to the populace resulting
in the narrowing of the digital divide

THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS?
Soumaya I. BEN DHAOU
bendhaou@unu.edu

E-Government and sustainable development

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