Page 48 - Building digital public infrastructure for cities and communities

Enabling mechanisms and tools

Even the best-designed governance models will falter without the necessary operational tools
and institutional mechanisms to support decision-making, risk management and performance
monitoring. Policymakers must invest in the core infrastructure of governance such as legal
frameworks, technical standards, accountability systems and capacity building. These enabling
mechanisms are crucial to turning policy into effective action, so ensuring that governance models
remain practical, resilient and adaptable over time.

Key implementation tools for policymakers to consider include:

Mechanism Function
Legal and regulatory instruments Laws that define data rights, accountability structures and
standards.
Oversight and audit bodies Independent agencies or ombudspersons to review DPI decisions
and address grievances.
Capacity building Training programmes and institutional support for civil servants
managing DPI.
Stakeholder participation Regular dialogue with citizens, civil society and the private sector.
platforms
Monitoring and evaluation Ongoing assessment of DPI performance, inclusion and service
systems outcomes.

6.3 Legal and regulatory frameworks

As governments invest in DPI to enable digital identity, payment systems, data exchanges and service
delivery platforms, the legal and regulatory foundations that govern these systems become critical.
Legal frameworks do not merely enable DPI, they define its boundaries, safeguard fundamental
rights and determine whether these infrastructures can be trusted, scaled and sustained across
public and private domains. Without sound regulation, DPI risks violating data privacy, enabling
exclusion, stifling innovation, or entrenching monopolies (World Bank, 2025, p.22). This section
helps policymakers understand how to craft legal and regulatory environments that ensure DPI is
trusted, inclusive and accountable.

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