LocationsKazakhstan presents innovative GovTech solutions for digital transformation in social protection
September 3, 2024
Today, at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Digital Inclusion and Transformation, Kazakhstan presented its innovative GovTech solutions.
The centerpiece of these solutions is the “Digital Family Card” designed to ensure equal access for Kazakh citizens to state support in the social sector. One of the primary goals of the project is to serve as a signal source for identifying the prerequisites or onset of social risks that lead to difficult life situations, thereby becoming a predictive tool for the state's social obligations.
“Today, we gather at a crucial juncture in the digital transformation of Asia and the Pacific. Kazakhstan has emerged as a leader in pioneering digital solutions that resonate not only within the country but already recognized far beyond its borders. The Digital Family Card, developed with the support of UNDP, stands as an example of how digital tools can transform social protection payment system, ensuring that benefits are delivered with efficiency and transparency to those who need them most”, -said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The "Digital Family Card" guarantees equal access for Kazakh citizens to the state support system. It serves as a tool for determining medium- and long-term tasks and directions of social policy, as well as a daily "electronic notifier" for citizens about their rights to various types of assistance, depending on their social status.
“The digital transformation has affected all areas of life, and the social sphere is no exception. Today, Kazakhstan is one of the pioneers in the digitalization of the social sphere and is actively developing online services for its citizens. Kazakhstan ranks eighth in the world in the provision of online services dimension of the UN E-Government Development Index 2022. The “Digital Family Card” is a unique tool that allows you to assess the well-being of each family and determine their need for social support. This makes it possible to adapt support measures in good time and prevent social exclusion. In addition, the system helps to increase transparency and accountability in the field of social policy",emphasized Svetlana Zhakupova, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Today, the “Digital Family Card” utilizes more than 100 socio-economic indicators, making it a reliable source of data for decision-making in social protection. Since the launch of this innovative platform in 2022, Kazakh citizens have received more than 2.2 million social services.
Kazakhstan is now recognized as one of the leaders in GovTech solutions and continues to rapidly develop its digital ecosystem. Among the key initiatives resulting from the development of this sector in Kazakhstan is the Smart Bridge portal, which has become a tool for providing data access for businesses and enhancing the competitive environment. The Smart Data Ukimet information-analytical system is an innovative product that provides the Government with data for making important state decisions. The eOtinish platform embodies the principles of a hearing government. Kazakhstan has also developed several domestic AI projects, including the system for public space and road safety, which helps to significantly reduce the number of crimes in public spaces and the number of fatal road accidents in nine pilot cities.
Kazakhstan also announced the establishment of the Digital Solutions Centre for Sustainable Development to serve as a hub for innovation, research and collaboration. The Centre will play a pivotal role in deploying digital solutions that directly contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Kazakhstan has already formulated a proposal of 23 digital solutions for the Asia-Pacific countries, including those in public services, cloud document management, taxation, customs procedures and many more.
“Kazakhstan reaffirms its commitment to the accelerated implementation of SDGs through innovative solutions. We believe that digital inclusion is key to ensuring that the benefits of the digital transformation are accessible to all, bridging the digital divide and empowering communities. By fostering a future, where technology drives sustainable development, we can create a more equitable and inclusive world for everyone”,noted Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Creating an inclusive digital public infrastructure can accelerate progress in achieving the SDGs, including reducing inequality and increasing public trust in state institutions. Utilizing the catalytic potential of digitalization, UNDP assists governments worldwide, including Kazakhstan, in digital transformation issues. The “Digital Family Card” project was implemented in partnership with UNDP in Kazakhstan. In 2023, this innovative solution was presented at the UN High-Level Political Forum at the UN headquarters, as well as during the “Digital Day” at the UN General Assembly in New York, where it was included among the leading global digital initiatives for achieving the SDGs. In February of this year, at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Kazakhstan’s innovative project “Digital Family Card” was recognized as the best in the category “Inclusive Digital Transformation,” receiving the prestigious GovTech Prize 2024.
“UNDP highly values its partnership with the Government of Kazakhstan in promoting the digital transformation agenda that considers the needs of the most vulnerable segments of the population. The ‘Digital Family Card’ project is an excellent example of the synergy of new technologies, partnership, and strategic vision, becoming a catalyst for necessary changes to ‘leave no one behind.’ This is an important step towards inclusive development and social well-being of Kazakh citizens,”emphasized Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan.
The side event, which became a platform for exchanging experiences and knowledge about the digital transformation of the social protection system in Kazakhstan, was organized by UNDP in Kazakhstan in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Digital Inclusion and Transformation, powered by ESCAP.
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