E-Government in Support of Sustainable Development
The United Nations E-Government Survey 2016: E-Government in Support of Sustainable Development was launched in July 2016.
It offers a snapshot of trends in the development of e-government in countries across the globe:
- There has been a sharp rise in the number of countries that are using e-government to provide public services online through one-stop platforms – an approach that makes it easier to access public services. In 2003, only 45 countries had a one-stop platform, and only 33 countries provided online transactions. According to the 2016 Survey, 90 countries now offer one or more single entry portals on public information or online services, or both and 148 countries provide at least one form of online transactional services.
- More countries are making an effort through e-government to ensure that public institutions are more inclusive, effective, accountable and transparent. Many governments across the globe are opening up their data for public information and scrutiny. The 2016 Survey shows that 128 countries now provide data sets on government spending in machine readable formats.
- Enabled by the easy access to social media, an increasing number of countries are moving towards participatory decision-making. While developed countries, especially European countries, are among the top 50 performers, many developing countries - especially lower-middle income countries - are making good progress. Enhanced e-participation can support the realization of the SDGs by enabling more participatory decision-making.
- There have been increased efforts to utilize advanced electronic and mobile services for the benefit of all. Fixed and wireless broadband subscriptions have increased unevenly across regions, with Europe leading and coming closer to market maturation, while Africa is still lagging behind. The overall availability of broadband has increased, but substantial regional disparities and a growing divide persist. All countries agreed, in SDG 9, that a major effort is required to ensure universal access to the internet in the least developed countries.
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