A Safe Digital Future

Since 1994, the world has been experiencing a digital transformation that offers great potential to accelerate and revolutionize progress towards the fulfilment of the ICPD Programme of Action. For these technologies to advance progress, however, it is critical to account for the ways in which digital technology can both enhance development agendas and pose potential risks and harms. If technological advances continue to rapidly evolve without rights-based approaches to inclusion, privacy and safety, they may undermine the vision, values and principles of the Programme of Action.

By examining the design, deployment and business models of digital technologies, this think piece maps evidence-based recommendations for mitigating harms and increasing benefits through safety-by-design, digital inclusion and governance, capitalizing on digital technology to fulfil and “future- proof” the Programme of Action. Future-proofing is about being able to understand and continually evolve solutions and approaches in anticipation of the future. To ensure that progress on the Programme of Action continues, we must future-proof it against the harms associated with a digital world.

The think piece is divided into three parts. The first section outlines the dichotomy between innovation and harm in digital technologies that can support development outcomes. A second section unpacks the design, deployment and business models of technology to adequately support evidence based interventions and regulation to reap digital dividends. The final section draws together the breadth of evidence to identify inclusive recommendations to future-proof the Programme of Action.