Social sector development

Can e-government innovation lead to more inclusive and equitable societies?

Introduction

In recent years, e-government has become a buzzword in the world of public administration and governance. This is especially as governments around the world embrace digital transformation to streamline service delivery and engage citizens. However, as we celebrate the many benefits of e-government, it’s essential to ask ourselves whether it can truly lead to more inclusive and equitable societies.

This article explores this critical question and examines the role that e-government can play in fostering inclusiveness and equitableness in society.

Definition of Key Terms

Let us define the key terms.

E-government

Otherwise called ‘electronic government’, it refers to the use of technology to deliver government services, information, and transactions to citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders.

Inclusiveness

This is the extent to which all members of society have access to resources, opportunities, and rights, regardless of their social, economic, or political status.

Digital Transformation

It is the process of using digital technologies to change the way organizations and governments operate and deliver value to customers and stakeholders.

Recent Conversations Around Technology, Governments, Governance and Inclusiveness

There has been an upsurge in ongoing conversations about the intersection of technology, government, and inclusiveness. Unsurprisingly so, considering that the world is becoming increasingly digital, and governments are catching up with the tech wave. The focus on inclusiveness, however, is a relatively new addition to the conversation.

One significant event that has helped to bring this conversation to the forefront is the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused a major shift in the way governments operate, with many turning to technology to maintain otherwise manually-run processes, while ensuring citizens’ safety. However, this shift has further amplified the problem of digital exclusion.

Several studies have shown that certain groups, such as the elderly, low-income individuals, and rural populations, are more likely to be digitally excluded than others. While this digital exclusion directly impacts the excluded, it has far reaching implications for governments as well. Citizens may not be able to access crucial services such as healthcare, education, and employment. The result of this is illiteracy or under-literacy, citizen disenfranchisement, voter apathy, increase in mortality rates, unemployment or underemployment and much more. 

It is therefore imperative that governments deliberately gear their tech-advancement efforts towards digital inclusion. That way, most people, at least, have access to technology and the skills to use it efficiently. 

In this article, the World Bank shows that e-government initiatives can help end extreme poverty and boost “shared prosperity.”  By exploring the access to data which most advanced tech-support systems provide, governments can, more accurately track their progress on humanitarian efforts, accurately access and assess public concerns and their impacts, and keep different tiers of government mutually accountable for resources distribution. 

In another study, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), examined the progress of e-government efforts on Denmark. The study found that both simple and complex public service delivery became far easier with semi-automated processes (by e-government efforts). The study also noted that e-government helped to reduce administrative burdens and improve efficiency, which in turn, benefited citizens, businesses, and governments.

Despite these efforts, there are still concerns about the potential negative impacts of technology on inclusiveness. One concern is the potential for algorithmic bias, where algorithms may perpetuate existing social and economic inequalities. Another concern is the potential for automation to displace certain groups of workers, leading to job losses and economic inequality.

So Can e-governments Really Foster Inclusiveness and Equitableness?

The short answer is yes. 

E-governments can play a significant role in fostering inclusiveness and equitableness in society. By leveraging digital technologies, governments can improve access to public services, increase citizen engagement, and reduce bureaucracy and corruption.

For instance, e-government initiatives can help to reduce the barriers that prevent marginalized groups: the elderly, disabled, or low-income populations, from accessing government services. By offering online services, citizens can interact with their governments remotely, without the need to travel long distances or wait in long queues.

Even further, e-government can enable citizens to participate more actively in the democratic process by providing more opportunities for feedback, consultation, and collaboration. By using digital tools such as social media, governments can engage citizens in policy development and decision-making, ensuring that all voices are heard, and all opinions are considered.

Also, e-government can help to reduce bureaucracy and corruption, by streamlining administrative processes and promoting transparency and accountability. By digitizing paper-based systems, governments can reduce the potential for human error. They can equally simplify complex processes, and ensure that all transactions are recorded and audited.

There is however a longer answer. 

While digital technologies offer great potential for promoting certain positive changes, their impact can be limited by a number of factors. For example, access to the internet and digital devices is still unevenly distributed, with marginalized populations often facing barriers to accessing online services. 

Again, digital tools and platforms can be designed in ways that perpetuate biases and exclude certain groups. Therefore, while e-government can be a powerful tool for promoting inclusiveness and equitableness, it is important to ensure that digital technologies are designed and implemented in ways that are truly inclusive and equitable. This requires ongoing attention and effort to address the challenges of the digital divide. Governments and tech service companies must ensure that e-government initiatives are accessible and responsive to the needs of all citizens.

We think we should reinforce this point: e-government is not a solution for all societal ills. There are still many challenges to overcome, such as ensuring that digital technologies are accessible to all citizens, protecting personal data and privacy, and ensuring that technology is used ethically and responsibly.