Reinforcing Democracy in the Digital Age
Technology is increasingly being leveraged to transform political, economic, social, and civic participation. CIPE’s Center for Digital Economy and Governance (CDEG) advances inclusive and democratic digital transformation in emerging economies. CDEG does this by supporting private sector leadership in efforts to address complex policy challenges and ongoing access barriers. This includes identifying new ways to harness technology for innovation and opportunity.
“Businesses – regardless of size or location – can bridge digital divides, advance democratic rights and values, and promote equitable opportunity in an increasingly digital world through leadership on policy dialogue, advocacy, and partnerships with governments and civil society.”
– CIPE CDEG Director Louisa Tomar
CDEG supports CIPE’s extensive network of partners and activities across more than 100 countries.
Through its programs, CIPE and partners are also actively addressing complex challenges to inclusive and democratic digital ecosystems.
At the Center: Local Business
CDEG’s digital democracy programs span two mutually reinforcing areas to raise awareness, address shrinking civic spaces, and advance technology-enabled democracy and economic development. Local business is at the center of policy advocacy and dialogue.
Advancing Inclusive Digital Economies |
Promoting Democratic Digital Governance |
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News & Resources
Thought leadership and tools related to evolving digital democracy trends, including new research.
Global Spotlight
Armenia: Expanding Skills and Access
More micro and small business owners have access to the digital economy and improved digital literacy, due to a CIPE Armenia initiative with Business Support Center (BSC), a local partner. Following surveys and assessments, the two adapted training materials from CIPE’s online course Harnessing the Power of the Digital Economy: MSME Guide to Digital Transformation (HPDE) and translated it into an Armenian Guidebook with localized content and guidance on existing laws and regulations. CIPE and BSC also led policy dialogue to help improve the business environment.
Slovakia: Digital Transformation
Bratislava, Slovakia is the location of CIPE’s Europe headquarters and staff work closely with business networks across many countries to promote democratic and inclusive digital transformation policies through partnerships with private sector organizations such as SAPIE and the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).
Philippines: Digital Literacy for MSMEs
CIPE’s Asia Regional Office in Manila is the site of many efforts, including the launch of digital literacy pilot programs to assist small and medium size businesses using the HPDE course through a “training-of-facilitators” model with business associations and women’s business membership organizations throughout the country. Watch this video to see how they are doing it. CIPE and its partners are also contributing to a USAID program called SPEED, short for Strengthening Private Enterprise for the Digital Economy. It is a five-year, $18 million, project to boost e-commerce through the increased use of new technologies related to everything from e-payments to supply-chain logistics.
Indonesia: Policy Analysis and Dialogue
CIPE and the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS), a leading think tank and longtime partner, collaborate on digital economy policy analysis and dialogue. This includes CIPS’ flagship paper on Co-regulating the Indonesian Digital Economy. Listen to this CIPE podcast to learn more about the work the two organizations are doing in the area of digital governance, as well as CIPE’s support of CIPS’ role in T20, the think tank counterpart to G20 during Indonesia’s recent stint as president.
Papua New Guinea: Combating the Spread of Digital Authoritarianism
CIPE is supporting digital policy reform, digital literacy, digital rights awareness and research on ICT investment projects in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in close coordination with its Women’s Business Resource Centre in Port Moresby. Given the unique linguistic and digital landscape in PNG, many English words, especially those pertaining to digital systems are simply not part of the Tok Pisin language. The need to develop this mini-dictionary arose organically during efforts to translate training materials on digital rights and the digital economy. CIPE utilized this new resource to help translate the HPDE course into Tok Pisin.
Colombia: Inclusive Digital Transformation in Conflict Affected Regions
CIPE’s Colombia Country Office is working closely with Innpulsa Colombia (an entrepreneurship and innovation agency of the National Government), to promote the active participation of Colombian MSMEs in the digital economy. This project is aligned with the National Development Plan “Colombia, Potencia Mundial de la Vida” (2022-2026) and will target communities in regions must affected by conflict and poverty.
El Salvador: Countering TFGBV and Policy Analysis
CIPE is working closely with leading think tank, FUSADES to improve the digital policy landscape to promote women’s participation in the digital economy in El Salvador. Learn more here!
Argentina: Strengthening Smart Municipal Governance
CIPE is collaborating with the Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth (CIPPEC) to develop policy recommendations that strengthen municipal digital capabilities and public service delivery.
Brazil: Upholding Digital Rights
CIPE is supporting InternetLab in Brazil to develop a comprehensive guide that provides public officials with clear, actionable, and practical steps to ensure human rights are upheld throughout a municipality’s digitalization journey.
Ethiopia: Policy Analysis and Business Leadership
CIPE’s office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has been leading private sector engagement on digital transformation and digital economy throughout the country and region. Learn more about this program here!
Uganda: Safeguarding Digital Rights
CIPE and longtime partner, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), support digital rights throughout Africa via partnerships on small grants for the Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF). Click here to learn more about CIPE’s support of CIPESA and ADRF grantees to raise awareness about digital rights issues, digital literacy, and digital security.
Zimbabwe: Understanding Zimbabwe’s Municipal Digital Transformation
CIPE is supporting Paradigm Initiative (PIN) to examine citizen perceptions of Zimbabwe’s smart city development and approaches to help safeguard citizen rights.
Morocco: Promoting an Inclusive Digital Economy
CIPE Morocco is developing a tailored digital literacy training program that is responsive to the needs of women-owned MSMEs and local business organizations in Morocco. Leveraging this locally-adapted resource, CIPE Morocco is organizing training of trainer sessions for local businesses and women entrepreneurs to access the digital economy and promote dialogue for an enabling and inclusive digital economy environment.
Palestinian Territories: Strengthening Digital Skills, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation
CIPE is supporting a collaboration between Asala, The Palestinian Businesswomen’s Association, and Palestine’s Information and Communications Technology Incubator (PICTI) to strengthen skills in entrepreneurship, innovation, and digitalization for Palestinian women entrepreneurs and innovators, in addition to women and youth in vulnerable communities.
Advancing accountable and democratic governance for Emerging Technologies + AI
CIPE is supporting local business communities to contribute to democratic and ethical adoption of emerging technologies. Read about opportunities and risks of using generative AI in business associations here!
Open Internet for Democracy + Digital Rights
The Open Internet for Democracy Initiative (OIDI) is a collaboration between CIPE, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) which seeks to foster multi-stakeholder engagement in shaping debates and policies affecting a democratic internet at both local and global levels. CIPE plays a unique and strategic role in this initiative by empowering voices from the local private sector to advocate for digital rights that are essential for democracies and economies to flourish in the digital age – learn more about digital rights and the program here!
Combatting TFGBV (CWEE + Global Flyer)
CIPE’s CDEG, Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment (CWEE) and Regional teams are supporting partners to combat tech-facilitated gender-based violence and harassment (TFGBV) through digital security and literacy programs and policy advocacy at the national level to promote online safety. Learn more about CIPE’s approach and partner insights, here!