Digital public infrastructure (DPI) is driving innovation to strengthen and expand the digital economy.

When done right, by designing with appropriate safeguards and inclusion, DPI is a means to many ends. It can bring about numerous benefits and significant multiplier effects, such as catalysing economic growth, boosting health and well-being outcomes, expanding access to education, and improving livelihoods. The opportunity for population-scale change, and for driving progress on the Human Development Index, has never been greater.

In 2023, DPI was selected by the United Nations Secretary-General as one of 12 High Impact Initiatives withthe potential to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals.

Today, DPI is moving from global recognition to widespread adoption.

In 2024, 193 UN Member States agreed, with the adoption of the Global Digital Compact (GDC), on the need for safeguards to ensure that DPI approaches are inclusive, responsible, safe, secure and user-centred. The launch of the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework in 2024 was the direct response to that call. The Framework, designed through a multi-stakeholder process led by the DPI Safeguards Initiative, comprises a set of 350+ practices that provide governments and institutions a foundation for building and operating responsible DPI.

More than 150 countries have implemented some kind of DPI system, from national ID to payment data exchange systems, bringing both significant opportunities and risks for billions of people across the world.

It is not DPI if it is not safe and inclusive

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With the launch of the MyMzansi roadmap, South Africa is building integrated digital public infrastructure that connects digital identity, data exchange, payments and services into a single system for accessing government services. We have committed to the Universal DPI Safeguards and are embedding these into the design from the outset, alongside open standards and digital public goods principles. In parallel, we are beginning to formalize more structured engagement with civil society following initial consultations.

— Melvyn Lubega, Head of the Digital Services Unit, South Africa Presidency

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As countries around the world lay the foundational digital rails that will transform their economies and societies for years to come, they face crucial decisions that will shape the well-being of all people. The UN DPI Safeguards Initiative, alongside several partners, is working with countries to chart a course to a safe, inclusive digital future. Together, we'll help make the safe choice the easy choice for every country embarking on a journey toward a digital future.

— CV Madhukar, CEO, Co-Develop

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The DPI Safeguards Initiative ensures that digital public infrastructure is developed in ways that protect openness, trust, and user rights. As DPI systems scale globally, success will depend not only on sound public governance, but also on the meaningful participation of private sector actors that operate critical digital infrastructure.

— Ashley Olson Onyango, Head of Financial Inclusion and AgriTech, GSMA

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As Uganda accelerates the rollout of digital public infrastructure, our key concern has been that digital systems are advancing faster than safeguards, public understanding, and meaningful participation. Through our engagement in the DPI Safeguards Initiative, we have recognized the critical importance of strengthening the capacity of civil society actors and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogue on digital rights and safeguards. This has enhanced more confident engagement with duty bearers on implementation gaps and is contributing to the emergence of a stronger, more coordinated civil society movement advocating for inclusive, accountable, and rights-centred digital transformation.

— Jackson Leviticus Wandera, Program Officer, Economic Justice & Social Protection, Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER)

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We want digital public infrastructure to address and reduce existing inequalities, particularly for women and disadvantaged groups. For this reason, GovStack’s ‘Women in GovTech Challenge’ promotes a human-centered, inclusive approach to building digital public infrastructure. Consequently, the DPI Safeguards Initiative is our natural partner and has helped our participants to develop their solutions in line with responsible standards from the outset – not merely as a matter of fairness, but as a prerequisite for building systems that truly serve everyone.

— Katharina Mänz, Deputy Head ofDepartment, Federal Ministry forEconomic Cooperation andDevelopment (BMZ)

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By leveraging digital public infrastructure, Brazil is strengthening a set of crucial government policies such as the digital ID, the Unified Registry for social programmes, and the innovative Rural Environmental Registry, therefore promoting citizenship, eradicating poverty and enabling a sustainable future. We are committed to building such infrastructure safely and inclusively, benefiting from the active engagement of our vibrant civil society.

— Esther Dweck, Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services of Brazil

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Digital public infrastructure will only deliver on its promise if people trust it. That’s why the DPI Safeguards Initiative is so critical - it embeds safety, inclusion, and accountability from the start. When safeguards are foundational, nation‑led DPI can scale responsibly, reach the most underserved, and become a powerful driver of equitable growth and sustainable development.

— Sanjay Jain, Director DPI, Gates Foundation

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Digital public infrastructure is rapidly reshaping the way people access and use financial services. Through the Global DPI Insights Community, the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion is exploring risks to user experience and trust, as these systems roll out across the world. This work is taking place alongside technical partners GSMA, CCAF, the UN Safeguards Initiative and Integral Governance Solutions, and with support from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. The UN’s Universal DPI Safeguards Initiative is playing a vital role by turning lessons into practical guidance for those building DPI. Together, we are helping policymakers and leaders create DPI systems that are secure, affordable, and able to reach underserved people at scale.

— Michael Schlein, President & CEO, Accion

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Countries are at different stages of their DPI journeys, but the need for safeguards is universal. DPI must be safe and inclusive to earn user trust and achieve widespread adoption. By promoting the use of the DPG Standard as part of the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework and through our collaboration on the Safeguards Accelerator program, we provide countries and organizations practical pathways from commitment to action.

— Liv Marte Nordhaug, Secretariat CEO, Digital Public Goods Alliance

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The Universal DPI Safeguards Framework provides us with a structured, rights-based language and methodology to strengthen our advocacy for a hybrid system — one that includes non-digital pathways as a right. This aligns with digital public infrastructure principles to promote trust, accountability, and human rights in digital transformation. As the South African government moves swiftly toward the digitisation of other permanent grants and social services, the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework is becoming increasingly significant to our work.

— Evashnee Naidu, KZN Regional Manager &Hoodah Abrahams-Fayker, National AdvocacyManager, Black Sash

The DPI Safeguards Initiative has shifted the narrative of safeguards from a compliance checklist to being the heartbeat of DPI. Ensuring that digital transformation empowers rather than excludes, safeguards are a proactive driver for delivering equitable prosperity.