Digital

Becoming fluent in digital impact

Twenty years ago, hardly any public organization offered digital services. Today, digital technologies shape our lives, organizations, economies and societies, creating opportunities that we must take and risks that we must tackle.

By strengthening digital know-how and partnerships for inclusive and responsible digital services, United Nations entities can improve their work, help empower societies, close the digital divide and address risks of harm.

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For Example...

Digital capacity can transform education

More than 244 million children and young people worldwide – primarily girls – are out of school. With stronger digital capacity, for example, United Nations entities can support Member States in transforming education via digital platforms. With interactive live classes powered by meaningful connectivity, they can enable affordable, inclusive, high-quality learning irrespective of circumstance.
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What building digital capacity means

Building modern digital capacities means transforming an organization’s technologies, skills and processes towards digitally enabled solutions that improve connectivity, service delivery, stakeholder collaboration, engagement and decision-making – in ways that are secure, responsible and inclusive.

Ways in which digital capacity can have impact

1

Enable girls’ access to learning via online platforms

2

Promote women’s financial inclusion with digital systems

3

Create marketplaces for small entrepreneurs and farmers

4

Strengthen civic participation and engagement

5

Trace energy consumption via smart grids

6

Connect women with career opportunities

7

Trace a products’ carbon footprints

8

Monitor health indicators to detect disease risks earlier

António Guterres

Secretary-General

“To serve Member States to the best of our ability, we need to take advantage of digital technologies to upgrade how we plan, learn, recruit and work.”

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Key resources

Secretary-General’s Policy Brief

The United Nations system is only beginning to fully embrace digital opportunities. Read the full chapter of the policy brief on how we expand expertise, what the goals are, and what benefits to expect.

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Voices on digital

How UN leadership, colleagues and youth from across the globe are getting inspired by and sparking action around UN 2.0

UNWTO

Zurab Pololikashvili

Secretary-General of the UNWTO

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UN 2.0 represents a transformative vision, where tourism  plays a critical role in fostering sustainable development and inclusive growth. By working together, leveraging the power of technology, we can create a more resilient, responsible sector contributing to a better world.

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Zurab Pololikashvili

Secretary-General of the UNWTO

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UN 2.0 represents a transformative vision, where tourism  plays a critical role in fostering sustainable development and inclusive growth. By working together, leveraging the power of technology, we can create a more resilient, responsible sector contributing to a better world.

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SRSG-SVC

Pramila Patten

Special Representative of the SG on Sexual Violence in Conflict

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New technologies present new opportunities to disrupt gender-based discrimination and violence, and accelerate development and peace. As technology races ahead, survivors of conflict-related sexual violence must not be left behind.

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Pramila Patten

Special Representative of the SG on Sexual Violence in Conflict

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New technologies present new opportunities to disrupt gender-based discrimination and violence, and accelerate development and peace. As technology races ahead, survivors of conflict-related sexual violence must not be left behind.

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UNOV/UNODC

Ghada Waly

Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime

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We must harness innovation for fairer and safer societies. Digitization and modern tools can improve access to justice, better predict illicit markets, and limit corruption.

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Ghada Waly

Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime

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We must harness innovation for fairer and safer societies. Digitization and modern tools can improve access to justice, better predict illicit markets, and limit corruption.

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UNOPS

Jorge Moreira da Silva

UNOPS Executive Director

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To be faster and more efficient can save lives. Transforming UN operations can make the difference – new technologies must be for the benefit of those we serve.

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Jorge Moreira da Silva

UNOPS Executive Director

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To be faster and more efficient can save lives. Transforming UN operations can make the difference – new technologies must be for the benefit of those we serve.

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UN Global Compact

Sanda Ojiambo

Executive Director and CEO of the UN Global Compact

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If we don’t focus on the appropriate development and deployment of digital technologies to help bridge divides and scale innovations, we will fall far short of achieving the 2030 Agenda.

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Sanda Ojiambo

Executive Director and CEO of the UN Global Compact

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If we don’t focus on the appropriate development and deployment of digital technologies to help bridge divides and scale innovations, we will fall far short of achieving the 2030 Agenda.

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UN ESCAP

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana

Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP

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Digital innovations must be accessible and applicable across all strata of community to be truly impactful.

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Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana

Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP

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Digital innovations must be accessible and applicable across all strata of community to be truly impactful.

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UN OSAPG

Alice Wairimu Nderitu

USG and Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide

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By consistently innovating and leveraging new technologies, we can strengthen existing early warning systems for Genocide and other atrocity crimes, including through stronger detection and response to online and offline hate speech. Digital technologies provide new tools to support documentation of and promote accountability for Genocide and other atrocity crimes.

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Alice Wairimu Nderitu

USG and Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide

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By consistently innovating and leveraging new technologies, we can strengthen existing early warning systems for Genocide and other atrocity crimes, including through stronger detection and response to online and offline hate speech. Digital technologies provide new tools to support documentation of and promote accountability for Genocide and other atrocity crimes.

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UN ECE

Olga Algayerova

Executive Secretary of UN ECE

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Artificial intelligence will transform many aspects of our lives. International regulations will be key to ensure it is used for the benefit of all.

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Olga Algayerova

Executive Secretary of UN ECE

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Artificial intelligence will transform many aspects of our lives. International regulations will be key to ensure it is used for the benefit of all.

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UN Youth

Pirfa Jerome Timkat

UN Youth

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What inspire me about “UN 2.0” is the drive and adaptation the organization is trying to archive by trying to bridge the lines between digital and physical understanding of the world and young people at large. I believe in the core values that the UN is built on, and I’m very much interested in seeing what we can achieve together to bring a sustainable and peaceful world.

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Pirfa Jerome Timkat

UN Youth

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What inspire me about “UN 2.0” is the drive and adaptation the organization is trying to archive by trying to bridge the lines between digital and physical understanding of the world and young people at large. I believe in the core values that the UN is built on, and I’m very much interested in seeing what we can achieve together to bring a sustainable and peaceful world.

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UN Youth

Deborah Sati Kesmen

UN Youth

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The world has and is still transitioning into a digital space and I think it’s only fair enough we transition alongside it.

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Deborah Sati Kesmen

UN Youth

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The world has and is still transitioning into a digital space and I think it’s only fair enough we transition alongside it.

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ITU

Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Secretary-General of the ITU

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We fully support the UN 2.0 initiative and the call for stronger UN capabilities in areas such as data, digital, innovation, strategic foresight, and behavioural science. As the UN Agency for Digital Tech, we are committed to continuing to strengthen our own capabilities in these areas and to collaborating with the United Nations and other stakeholders to help others to also do so. In particular, we recognize the critical role that digital technologies can play in advancing the sustainable development agenda and look forward to working together to harness their full potential for the greater good.

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Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Secretary-General of the ITU

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We fully support the UN 2.0 initiative and the call for stronger UN capabilities in areas such as data, digital, innovation, strategic foresight, and behavioural science. As the UN Agency for Digital Tech, we are committed to continuing to strengthen our own capabilities in these areas and to collaborating with the United Nations and other stakeholders to help others to also do so. In particular, we recognize the critical role that digital technologies can play in advancing the sustainable development agenda and look forward to working together to harness their full potential for the greater good.

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UN Youth

Han Lu

UN Youth

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Today’s world faces different situations and challenges than before. The pandemic has once again reminded us of the importance of digitalization, and the rapid development of artificial intelligence in the past few years has provided us with more possibilities to solve development problems. I am glad that the United Nations has been able to keep pace with the times and better serve the world by changing the way it operates.

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Han Lu

UN Youth

un-two-zero-vector Digital Certificate of Entitlement (DCE)

Today’s world faces different situations and challenges than before. The pandemic has once again reminded us of the importance of digitalization, and the rapid development of artificial intelligence in the past few years has provided us with more possibilities to solve development problems. I am glad that the United Nations has been able to keep pace with the times and better serve the world by changing the way it operates.

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Discover digital action

UN 2.0 is about leveraging our connections across the globe, with teams and projects active in over 160 countries. Click on the map to learn more.

The location indicators on this map are illustrative and do not necessarily show where entities are based. The depiction and use of boundaries, geographic names and related data shown on maps are not guaranteed to be error free, nor do they imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

Explore UN 2.0 Initiatives

ITU
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Giga boosts School Connectivity

An ITU-UNICEF initiative dedicated to connecting every school to the internet using AI, satellite imagery, and blockchain technology.

UNEP
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Playing for the Planet Alliance

UNEP partners with major players in the gaming industry. By placing green activations in games, they make use of their massive reach among young people for learning and acting in support of the environment.

UNDP
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Fadfada: Mental Health Support in Syria

An online psychosocial support platform providing mental health support in to over 10,300 cases in post-earthquake Syria.

UNDP
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Digital X: Scaling Digital Solutions Globally

A Partnerships for Scale Programme designed to find, match, and connect ready-to-scale digital solutions with the urgent needs of UNDP Country Offices and governments in 170 countries.

ITU
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Green GovStack Initiative

Supporting governments in establishing interoperable, secure IT infrastructure for national development. It offers digital building blocks for governments to use IT technologies, while minimizing costs and dependencies.

ITU
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Smart Village Model

The ‘Smart Village’ model uses digital development for real impact of multiple SDGs in rural regions. An integrated SDG platform provides bespoke digital solutions, transforming health, education, commerce, and agriculture sectors.

Explore initiatives

Explore UN 2.0 Strategies & Publications

UNDP
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UNDP Digital Strategy

With this strategy, UNDP puts forth a long-term vision to create a world in which digital is an empowering force for people and planet.

UN OHCHR
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Human Rights and Digital Technology Hub

The UN Hub for Human Rights and Digital Technology upholds human rights in our increasingly digital world, providing key texts, analysis, and recommendations for online and offline respect.

UNHCR
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UNHCR Digital Transformation Strategy

UNHCR has launched a Digital Transformation Strategy 2022-26 which identifies priority outcomes in the areas of digital inclusion, digital protection and digital services.

ITU
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G5 Accelerator for Digital Transformation

The G5 Accelerator brings together high-value tools and resources offering practical, step-by-step support for countries already embarked or planning to embark on their digital transformation journey – for collaborative digital policy and regulation.

WFP
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WFP Information & Technology Strategy 2023 – 2026

The Information and Technology Strategy 2023-2026 maps WFP’s vision for the future of technology, evidence, and innovation. The actions stemming from this strategy will improve WFP’s performance, driving the efficiency and effectiveness gains that country offices need to sustainably save and change lives.

UNDP
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The Digital Public Infrastructure Approach: A Playbook

For countries in the early stage of their Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) adoption journey, or for those that might be just beginning to embrace this novel concept: where should they start? Beyond the definitions and principles, what are some practical steps they need to consider? This DPI playbook is designed as a practical and public resource that low and middle-income countries (LMICs) in particular can utilize in building an inclusive and rights-based DPI.

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How we will change

Improve our programmatic offer

Develop scalable digital solutions for all programmes, support member states in building inclusive, sustainable and resilient digital ecosystems, help bridging digital gender divides and supporting international digital cooperation.

Apply new skills on the ground

Prioritize digital approaches in all programmatic and operational areas, pursue a use-case-driven and gender-responsive approach through human-centred design, while safeguarding against the risks of digital technologies.

Shift organizational foundations

Empower teams with access to digital literacy training, centres of excellence and cultivating digitally fluent cultures, engage all UN leadership, integrate digital across job profiles, leverage technology, and align governance and metrics.

Explore the UN 2.0 Quintet
of cutting-edge skills

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