Co-designing human-centric digital innovations for improved basic service delivery
November 5, 2024 | 11:00 - 12:30
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Summary
In a world that is urbanizing rapidly, millions of people are flooding into informal, unplanned settlements, often located at the urban periphery with little or no access to basic services such as clean water, electricity and sanitation. These informal settlements are home of one-quarter of the world’s urban population, which means that around 1 billion urban dwellers live in settlements that have emerged outside of the state’s control. Estimates show that Africa’s urban population is expected to triple in the next 50 years. The United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda has therefore set the goal of "ensuring everyone has access to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services by 2030".
Digital innovations offer new opportunities to reach this goal by facilitating data collection for evidence-based planning of services, by offering simple solutions for accessing services including for disadvantaged groups, or by opening new channels for communication between service providers and users.
UNITAC Hamburg, a cooperation between UN OICT, UN-Habitat and HafenCity University Hamburg, is co-designing such digital innovations together with local service providers, communities and NGOs.
In this event, we discuss how this co-design process of some of UNITAC’s digital tools can innovate human-centric basic service delivery and showcase how such solutions can contribute to achieving the SDGs.
Through an open challenge-driven innovation process, UNITAC has selected innovative projects to be implemented in partnership with the local partners. This event will bring all partners together to discuss the collaborative methodologies, challenges and expected impacts of the three projects.
1. Hargeisa Water Agency, Somaliland - Bridging water access for the urban poor
2. Public Space Network, Kenya - Improving data collection on solid waste generation
3. GIZ Bangladesh - Innovations for climate resilient urban development
4. eThekwini Municipality, South Africa - Using artificial intelligence for urban upgrading planning
Objectives
With the session and panel discussion, we aim to:
● Showcase digital innovations for improving basic service delivery
● Demonstrate how digital innovations are put into practice to contribute to SDG achievement
● Bring together local and international actors for a knowledge exchange on practical implications, risks and opportunities of applying digital innovations in public service delivery
● Reflect on collaboration and co-design methodologies to achieve human-centric digital innovations
● Understand data needs and other requirements for applying digital solutions in an informal settlement and global majority context.