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Governance of data exchange systems is a critical part of ensuring safe digital public infrastructure (DPI) for all. Aligning with the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework – the overarching initiative guiding the safe and inclusive design of DPI - UNDP has designed an actionable governance framework for data exchange to support meaningful, society-wide outcomes.
When designed well, data exchange systems connect services, empower people, and drive development. But when poorly designed, they expose personal data, erode trust and deepen inequality. Getting them right is critical for safe, inclusive digital transformation. Yet, while roll-out of data exchanges is accelerating, the development of appropriate governance mechanism is lacking behind: Getting them right is critical for safe, inclusive digital transformation. The roll-out of data exchange systems is accelerating worldwide,* yet gaps remain:
WHY Is EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE OF DATA EXCHANGES NEEDED?
What is the governance assessment framework for data exchanges?
The UNDP Governance Assessment Framework for Data Exchange Systems provides guiding principles and standards to appraise the policy, regulatory and institutional arrangements of national data exchange systems.
The framework helps governments assess how effectively their data exchange systems enable public service delivery, inclusion, and trust. It can identify practical steps to:
The assessment framework supports the development of safe DPI that can benefit everyone, by ensuring that data exchanges are designed with clear safeguards.
Who is the data exchange governance assessment framework for?
This framework is a public asset, available to UNDP partners as well as other stakeholders across governments and civil society, who are developing, studying, evaluating or implementing data exchange systems of any type.
WHEN AND How can the governance assessment framework be used?
The framework can be used during the design, implementation or evaluation of a data exchange system.
Implementation Assessment Tool
To analyse requirements for new policies/legislation or to identify gaps in existing policies and institutional arrangements for data exchange; and to initiate and sustain a continuous improvement loop—by identifying gaps, informing prioritization and implementation, and enabling periodic reassessment and refinement throughout the DPI implementation journey.
For example, it can be used to evaluate whether adequate mechanisms and responsibilities are in place to safeguard individual and collective privacy.
Guiding Framework
It can be used to support the design of programmatic initiatives at country level, and/or to identify entry points for the provision of specialized advisory services, technical assistance and/or capacity-building support.
Instrument
It can be used to ensure inclusive stakeholder engagement.
For example, stakeholder consultations gather input on different aspects of the framework, such as financial support for civil society organisations advocating for data rights.
Resource
It can be used as a resource for the development and/or revision of customised data exchange governance assessments.
INCLUSIVE DATA SHARING
Data must be shared in a manner that contributes to the broader public good: to an inclusive, equitable and safe society; to inclusive economic growth and the eradication of poverty; to citizen participation and to the protection of human rights.
Explore Inclusive Data SharingEquality & Digital Empowerment
Addressing digital divides
Protecting against discrimination
Strengthen digital rights & literacy
Protect ethical standards & human-rights
FAIR AND TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS
Relations between public, private sector, civil society, institutions and people must be founded on building trust and ensuring accountability. This is to ensure that stakeholders act in the public interest for the public good, encourage democratic participation and foster fair market competition.
Explore Fair & Trusted RelationshipsTrust, Accountability & Public Interest
Ensure responsive and participatory regulation
Improve institutional coordination & capacity
Create independent oversight, monitoring & evaluation
Establish institutional remedies
Promote public good and open data
Develop a diverse data ecosystem
SAFE AND EFFICIENT Data management
Safe and efficient data management ensures the quality, security and accessibility of data to make it usable in multiple domains. Data must be managed responsibly through practising data stewardship. Technical features should enable privacy, data protection, and security by design.
Explore Safe & Efficient Data ManagementInteroperability, Accessibility, and Security
Ensure open protocols, standards and tools
Ensure open methodologies
Ensure high quality data access by public institutions
Promote high quality data sharing and (re-) use
Establish robust systems
Safeguard individual and group privacy
Capable institutions
Capable institutions are a critical element of the governance framework for digital identity systems. The institutions that own and manage these systems have crucial roles in how they are designed, deployed and managed. It is important that they are independent of political interference, properly resourced in terms of budget and staff, and have the legal authority and practical capability to fulfil their functions. The relationships between different ministry(ies) /agency(ies) that have a role in digital legal identity should be clearly established, and coordination mechanisms put in place. The capable institutions element includes the following sub-elements: Institutional arrangements for management of ID ecosystem, and Effective coordination and collaboration.
Institutional arrangements for management of ID ecosystem
Effective coordination and collaboration
Data Protection and Privacy
Data protection and privacy are essential elements of the governance framework. The framework elements under this heading relate to the components of the system that ensure sensitive personal data is protected and that individual privacy is maintained. This is particularly important given the sensitive information that digital identity systems collect and manage, the potential for harm through their misuse, and the risk of data breaches. These elements should be viewed in conjunction with others within the framework - laws are only as effective as their application and implementation. The data protection and privacy element includes the following sub-elements: Data protection and privacy laws, Data handling by public and private actors, Data exchange practices and Cybersecurity.
Explore the Framework FurtherData protection and privacy laws
Data handling by public and private actors
Data exchange practices
Cybersecurity
User value
Digital identity systems should deliver value to users. This element is critically important to ensuring that digital identity systems contribute to development that is inclusive and safe, and it advances progress towards the sustainable development goals. This requires consideration and understanding of use cases and should inform design and specification considerations. These should inform how digital identity systems are mandated to enable access to both government and private sector services - and to ensuring that the introduction of these systems as gateways to these services does not lead to exclusion. This also requires consideration around data collection, management and protection as well as planning for system use and applications. The User Benefit element includes the following sub-elements: ID requirements to access government services, ID requirements to access private sector services, Ensuring requirements do not cause exclusions and Data and planning.
Explore the Framework FurtherID requirements to access government services
ID requirements to access private sector services
Ensuring requirements do not cause exclusion
Data and planning
Procurement & anti-corruption
Transparency and accountable procurement procedures, and effective measures to counter corruption are important elements of the model governance framework for digital legal identity. These structural elements can help ensure that government procurement is based on up to date standards, including those relating to digital public infrastructure, and assess whether the procuring institution has the appropriate expertise. Ensuring that appropriate anti-corruption elements are present in the legal and institutional framework can help ensure that pre-existing concerns are also addressed. The procurement and anti-corruption element has the following sub-elements: Procurement guidelines define system standards; Procedures for procurement of public infrastructure; Expertise; Extent to which there is an effective anti-corruption legal and institutional framework; Existing concerns.
Explore the Framework FurtherProcurement
Anti-corruption
Participation and access to information
The participation and transparency framework element assesses whether digital legal identity systems are inclusive and represent user interests, and whether the impact of identity systems is evaluated and data about its functioning are publicly accessible. This includes ensuring that there are resources and institutional support to encouraging public participation, and accountability to ensure that participation both takes place and the results are incorporated into policy and planning. Participation also includes the role of legislatures, civil society involvement and the media. Ensuring that the impact of digital identity systems is documented and public accessible requires appropriate monitoring and evaluation by the competent institutions, which should include relevant performance guidelines, and access to relevant information by those not involved in managing the system. The participation and transparency element includes the following sub-elements: public participation, monitoring and evaluation and access to information.
Explore the Framework FurtherPublic Participation
Monitoring and evaluation
Access to information
This large language model (LLM)-based chatbot can assist on questions related to rights-based, inclusive digital identity systems. It is based on content used to develop the governance framework and supporting material , from a wide range of recognised organisations and experts in the field of governance of legal digital ID.
You can ask about...
"How can inclusivity be ensured in digital ID implementation?"
"Which guidelines are available on ethical digital ID governance?"
"What are potential risks associated with digital IDs?"
Please note: While the chatbot offers insights grounded in reliable texts and expert opinions, it is essential to remember that it does not replace the need for conducting your own comprehensive research, consulting directly with experts, engaging with a wider community of stakeholders, or referring to specific legal documents and human experiences. We encourage you to use this chatbot as a starting point and to dive deeper into topics that resonate with your objectives and concerns.
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