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Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is no longer just a technical topic – it is becoming central to how societies function and deliver services. Increasingly, it is also about children.
A recent UNICEF report, Why Digital Public Infrastructure matters for children (2026), makes this clear. The way DPI is designed and implemented today will shape how children access identity, healthcare, education, and social protection in the future.
For those working in digital transformation, the implication is straightforward – children cannot be an afterthought. DPI needs to be designed with them in mind from the start.
This is especially visible in countries where systems are still being built or modernised. NRD Companies works closely with governments in high-vulnerability contexts, supporting civil registration, digital ID, and unique identification systems. In these settings, the impact of DPI is not abstract – it is immediate, and often most visible in the lives of children.
Where foundational systems are weak or fragmented, children are often the first to be left out. Without birth registration or access to basic services, they remain unseen by the system. Strengthening these foundations is therefore not just a technical task – it is essential for ensuring that every child can be recognised and supported from the very beginning.
DPI: The Invisible Backbone of Child Services
DPI includes core systems such as civil registration, digital ID, data exchange, and payment platforms. These systems operate at scale and support how public services are delivered.
For children, this infrastructure is not abstract – it directly affects everyday life:
- Birth registration establishes legal identity
- Health systems track immunisation and care
- Education systems support enrollment and continuity
- Social protection systems deliver benefits to families
When these systems work together, they make children visible across services. When they do not, gaps appear – and those gaps often translate into exclusion.
Where DPI Makes the Biggest Difference
The UNICEF report highlights several areas where DPI can have immediate impact:
- Linking Birth Registration, Identity, and Health: Connecting these systems ensures children are recognised from birth and can access services throughout their lives.
- Improving Delivery of Social Protection: Digital identity and payment systems help ensure benefits reach the right families on time.
- Using Data to Inform Decisions: When systems are interoperable, governments can better understand needs and plan services accordingly.
These are not new priorities – but DPI makes it possible to address them more consistently and at scale.
The Risk of Getting It Wrong
DPI can improve access and efficiency – but it can also reinforce existing inequalities if not designed carefully.
Common challenges include:
- Children without IDs being excluded from services
- Systems that do not communicate with each other
- Weak data protection, especially for sensitive child data
- Limited access to digital tools or connectivity
Millions of children globally still lack legal identity, and many face barriers to accessing services. Without deliberate safeguards, digital systems can unintentionally widen these gaps.
From Digital-First to Child-Centred
A key takeaway from the UNICEF report is the need to move beyond technology-first approaches.
This means:
- Designing systems that work in low-connectivity and vulnerable settings
- Ensuring interoperability across sectors
- Building in data protection and accountability from the start
- Considering how systems are actually used by families and frontline workers
In practice, DPI should not only be efficient – it needs to be inclusive and safe.
What This Means in Practice
For governments and partners working on digital transformation, several priorities stand out:
Start With Foundational Systems
Strong civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems are essential. Without birth registration, children remain invisible to digital systems.
In Belize, a recent CRVS modernisation implemented by NRD Companies illustrates this well. By digitising processes and improving data quality, the system has made registration more accessible and reliable – helping ensure that individuals, including children, can be recognised and linked to services.
Prioritize Interoperability Early
Integrating systems after deployment is costly and complex. Interoperability must be designed from the outset.
This requires clear data standards, well-defined governance frameworks, and technical architectures that allow systems – such as CRVS, health, and social protection – to exchange data securely and efficiently.
Embed Safeguards, Not Add-Ons
Data protection, privacy, and inclusion should be core design principles – not compliance afterthoughts.
This is particularly important when working with sensitive child data, where weak safeguards can lead to exclusion, misuse, or loss of trust in public systems.
Think In Ecosystems, Not Platforms
DPI is not a single system – it is a coordinated ecosystem of technologies, policies, and governance frameworks.
Effective implementation depends on aligning institutions, processes, and systems to work together – ensuring that services are connected, scalable, and responsive to people’s needs.
The Opportunity Ahead
More than 100 countries are already investing in DPI. This creates a real opportunity to ensure that these systems support children’s rights rather than overlook them.
Done well, DPI can:
- Close identity gaps
- Improve access to health and education
- Strengthen social protection systems
- Support better decision-making
Done poorly, it risks digitising existing inequalities.
Building DPI that works for every child requires more than strategy – it requires implementation, coordination, and long-term commitment.
NRD Companies supports governments in building the foundations of child-centred DPI through:
- Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Management System (CRVS©): Ensuring every child is registered and visible from birth
- Interoperable Digital Ecosystems: Enabling secure data exchange across sectors
- Digital Identity and Service Delivery Platforms: Connecting children and families to essential services
- Data Governance and Protection Frameworks: Safeguarding sensitive child data
This approach focuses on practical implementation – helping countries move from policy to systems that deliver real outcomes.
Build DPI That Works for Every Child
NRD Companies supports governments in designing and implementing solutions that connect children to essential services.
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