UNICEF and Co-Develop Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance Safe and Inclusive DPI in Tanzania and Lesotho
NEW YORK (October 28, 2025) - UNICEF and Co-Develop have announced a catalytic partnership to support the implementation of the UN Universal Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Safeguards Framework in Tanzania and Lesotho. This strategic collaboration aims to accelerate digital transformation while placing children’s rights and inclusion at the heart of national DPI efforts.
As part of this initiative, UNICEF will provide technical country implementation support to ensure that DPI systems are designed and deployed in ways that are safe, inclusive, and aligned with global standards. Co-Develop, a global nonprofit fund, is accelerating the transformation of 50 countries into inclusive digital societies over the next five years. The fund is making strategic investments that unlock bottlenecks, build evidence for impact, and transform complex digital infrastructure into accessible, actionable solutions that create a fairer future for governments and citizens worldwide.
“Our focus is on unlocking the potential of digital public infrastructure for service delivery for children, especially in health, education, social and child protection,” said Kaan Cetinturk, UNICEF Chief Information Officer. “This partnership with Co-Develop allows us to amplify UNICEF’s contribution to the digital public infrastructure arena and ensure that digital transformation promotes and protects children’s rights from the outset.”
UNICEF and Co-Develop will collaborate to promote the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework, a multi-stakeholder initiative stewarded by the United Nations. The framework focuses on key use cases in birth registration and social protection for children through open dialogue, feedback, and phased working groups. It aims to create a comprehensive and adaptable set of safeguards that foster secure, inclusive, and trustworthy digital ecosystems.
“UNICEF's partnership in implementing the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework helps the digital public infrastructure community meet the growing demands from government implementors and public interest actors for responsive, context-specific support that builds trust and unlocks population-scale adoption.” said Matthew McNaughton, Co-Develop’s Director for Inclusion, Safeguards and Civil Society Engagement.
This partnership reflects a shared commitment to co-developing the foundations for a fairer digital future, one where children and communities are empowered, protected, and not left behind.
UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, organization, product or service.
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ABOUT UNICEF USA
UNICEF USA advances the global mission of UNICEF by rallying the American public to support the world’s most vulnerable children. Together, we are working toward a world that upholds the rights of all children and helps every child thrive. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.
For more information please contact:
Ann Reinking Whitener, UNICEF USA, (212) 922-2623, areinking@unicefusa.org
About Co-Develop
Co-Develop is a global nonprofit fund accelerating the adoption of safe and inclusive shared Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) at scale. Answering the urgent call to promote DPI deployment in 50 countries over the next five years, Co-Develop operates as a strategic bridge-builder—connecting global expertise with local realities and transforming complex technical concepts into accessible, actionable solutions for governments and societies worldwide.
The organization makes strategic investments focused on two critical areas: unlocking bottlenecks in safe and inclusive DPI adoption by countries, and building an evidence base to understand DPI's transformative impact. Co-Develop's work is anchored in a collaborative ethos—the conviction that together with like-minded partners, we must "co-develop" the foundations for a fairer, more digitally inclusive future.