UNICEF’S ‘GLOBAL OUTLOOK 2025: PROSPECTS FOR CHILDREN’

PRELIMS BITS: 

The report highlights the transformative role of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in delivering digital public services for children.

What is DPI?

DPI is a set of shared digital systems that enable equitable access to public or private services at scale. Its ecosystem includes technology, markets, and governance frameworks.

Role of DPI in Children’s Well-Being

  1. Equitable Access to Essential Services:
    • Example: Digital IDs linked to civil registration systems provide lifelong access to services.
  2. Education:
    • Example: India’s DIKSHA platform bridges educational gaps through digital learning tools.
  3. Health:
    • Example: Jamaica’s Electronic Immunization Registry improved childhood vaccination rates.
  4. Financial Literacy and Inclusion:
    • DPI fosters digital participation, empowering children in the digital economy.
  5. Social Protection:
    • Enhances targeted delivery of benefits and better data sharing for child services.

Challenges in Using DPI for Children

  1. Connectivity and Digital Inequality:
    • Example: Only 43.6% of rural Indian youth aged 15-24 can send emails, highlighting the digital divide.
  2. Weak Integration of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS):
    • Poor integration with national ID systems limits universal service coverage.
  3. Other Issues:
    • Lack of data interoperability and harmonization across systems.
    • Concerns over data protection, security, and surveillance.

Recommendations for Enhancing DPI for Children

  1. Digitize Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Systems
    • Establish robust digital CRVS systems to serve as the foundation for digital IDs, ensuring universal access to essential services.
  2. Enable Seamless and Secure Data Exchange
    • Facilitate safe and interoperable data sharing among health, education, and social services to enhance service delivery for children.
  3. Promote Digital Financial Inclusion and Literacy
    • Empower children, youth, and their families by providing access to digital financial tools and education, fostering economic participation.
  4. Include Children’s Input in Digital Infrastructure Design
    • Actively involve children in the planning and design of digital systems that impact their lives to ensure they are user-friendly and meet their needs.
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