WASHINGTON, October 26, 2020—Leaders from around the world—including H.M. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in her capacity as UNSGSA, the President of Estonia, and Ministers from Indonesia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo—called on countries to prioritize development of inclusive and trusted digital ID systems as part of a resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic at the World Bank and IMF Annual Meeting event on October 21. The event also announced the winners of the ID4D Mission Billion Innovation Challenge to remove barriers to accessing and using such digital platforms.
Panelists highlighted how digital ID systems, together with a broader set of foundational digital infrastructure such as digital payments and platforms for trusted data sharing, can help build more resilient digital economies and societies when they are designed inclusively and with people at the center. Countries that had this infrastructure in place and accessible to people before the pandemic have been able to deliver emergency cash assistance to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 more quickly and effectively, and maintain better continuity in services by shifting from physical to online delivery during lockdowns and quarantines.
“Now is the time for accelerated action: to get every person a digital ID that enables their access to services and ensures their privacy; and to have all countries prepared not only to respond better to the next crisis but to take advantage of the new opportunities being created by the digital economy,” said Dr. Mari Pangestu, World Bank Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships.
“The crisis has created momentum in many countries to implement new ID systems, or boost coverage and strengthen the capabilities of existing ones. Sequencing and coordination are particularly important as the urgency of the pandemic might result in decisions not always being aligned across the government or with global best practices,” said Queen Máxima, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA).
Winners of the World Bank Group’s Mission Billion Innovation Challenge were revealed, with a total of $150,000 in prize money and the opportunity to work with World Bank teams to further develop, pilot and scale their ideas. Given how the crisis has highlighted the critical need for digital ID systems and other platforms to work for all people, the theme of this year’s Challenge was inclusion:
- The Global prize sought new ways to enable vulnerable populations—such as people with limited digital access and marginalized women and girls—to obtain digital IDs and use them to verify their identities and access remote services. The top winners announced by Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Infrastructure, were Kiva Protocol, Mobile Vaani, and Special Olympics Nigeria, all three sharing first place and together addressing inclusion across the full identification lifecycle.
- The WURI West Africa prize called for solutions to facilitate contributions to social insurance programs, such as pensions and savings accounts, by informal sector workers. The winners, announced by Mamta Murthi, World Bank Vice President for Human Development, were Naa Sika in first place and Tonti+ in second place.
About the Identification for Development (ID4D) Initiative
The World Bank Group’s Identification for Development (ID4D) Initiative helps countries realize the transformational potential of digital identification. ID4D works with countries and partners across sectors to enable all people to exercise their rights and to access services by closing the gap in identification for the estimated 1 billion people currently without any proof of identity, and improving the quality and utility of digital identification and civil registration systems in line with the Principles on Identification for Sustainable Development. ID4D has three pillars of activity: country and regional engagement; thought leadership; and global convening and platforms. ID4D is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK Government, the French Government, and the Omidyar Network.
About the Mission Billion Challenge
In its second year, Mission Billion, supported by MIT Solve platform, aims to spur practical and innovative solutions to challenges developing countries face in implementing digital ID systems. It is hosted by the World Bank Group’s Identification for Development (ID4D) Initiative and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK Government, the French Government, and Omidyar Network. This year attracted 370 solutions from academics, entrepreneurs, scientists, and technologists based in 59 countries. The 2019 edition focused on privacy and user empowerment of their identification.
