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Smart Village Pakistan
| Project No | 2PAK22002 | |
| Title | Smart Village Pakistan | |
| Description |
Pakistan is an emerging digital economy, with digital technologies beginning to transform the way people live and work and the Government taking a leap towards the agenda of digital development by launching its ‘Digital Pakistan’ policy. Moreover, and notably, following the Covid-19 outbreak in Pakistan in late February 2020, a major shift to work-from-home models was seen in the business, education, and services sectors due to countrywide lockdown. The State of Pakistan’s Economy report 2019-2020 by the State Bank of Pakistan detailed that in the backdrop of the lockdown imposed in March, the shift towards digital platforms has become equally inevitable for government institutions, education, businesses, and households. Subsequently, digital platforms have become the primary channel for accessing public and private services for a growing number of citizens. Where it manifests that government ownership and vision is existent for the digital transformation in the country, the grass root level realities and statistics provide an interesting and mixed picture. Promoting the development of Smart Villages is of critical importance in accelerating the achievements of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Pakistan. Pakistan aims to bring the benefits of digital transformation to its citizens, adopting a whole of government and smart village approach in accordance with the vision of Digital Pakistan. This project will support the Smart Village project in Pakistan in cooperation with Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and Universal Service Fund (USF) (Pakistan), and Huawei. With this objective, the Smart Villages Pakistan project aims to digitally transform remote and rural communities by connecting them and empowering the citizens living in the rural areas with better access to a range of digital services that can meaningfully improve their wellbeing and livelihoods in line with the Digital Pakistan policy. A wide range of services can be provided through integrated digital platform(s) that may simultaneously support various functions thereby allowing for customization, cost-reduction, and scalability. The project aims to increase remote areas' access to a range of digital services in the domains of health, education and commerce |
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| Area of Action |
Digital Inclusion ICT Applications |
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| Status | Implemented | |
| Time Frame | From 1/12/2022 To 30/9/2025 | |
| Beneficiary Countries | Pakistan (Islamic Republic of) | |
| Implementing Agency | International Telecommunication Union (ITU) | |
| Cooperation Agency | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | |
| Financial Scale (CHF) | 100'000 - 500'000 | |
| Achievements |
The project improved access to digital services and opportunities for underserved rural communities through the establishment and operationalization of three Smart Villages in Pakistan. Implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and private-sector partners, the project brought digital transformation initiatives directly to local communities and demonstrated practical models for inclusive rural development. The project successfully launched and supported digital services in all three target villages, including e-health, e-education and digital skills initiatives. More than 7,500 people benefited from the services introduced, significantly exceeding initial targets. The initiative also generated valuable evidence through needs assessments and community consultations that informed the design and delivery of interventions. Capacity development was a central component of the project. More than 800 community members enhanced their digital skills through training programmes and workshops, while over 900 people increased their awareness of digital technologies and services. Particular attention was given to women and youth, helping strengthen digital inclusion and participation in local economic and social activities. The project demonstrated how digital technologies can improve access to essential services in rural areas. Telemedicine services expanded access to healthcare, while digital education initiatives improved learning opportunities and introduced new educational resources to communities that previously lacked them. Additional coding, digital literacy and entrepreneurship-related activities further strengthened local digital capabilities. The project achieved important sustainability outcomes, with key service providers continuing to operate and support digital services after project completion. Its success attracted interest from additional development partners and stakeholders, while the Government of Pakistan expressed its commitment to replicate and scale the Smart Village model in other parts of the country, extending the project’s long-term impact. |
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