Supporting Social Contract through CivicTech

January 25, 2023

10:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT / 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm GMT / 4:00 pm – 6 pm WAT

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Agenda

Background:

The West and Central Africa GovTech Community is organizing a workshop to discuss how to enhance
social contract through CivicTech approaches.1 Broadly defined, social contract can be seen as “a dynamic
agreement between state and society on their mutual roles and responsibilities,” which relies equally on:
(i) process—how formal and informal bargaining mechanisms mediate civil and state interests and
capabilities; (ii) outcomes—the extent to which they deliver inclusive developmental policies and
outcomes; and (iii) resilience—the extent to which they are responsive to and aligned with citizen
expectations.2 Applying this lens, the workshop will anchor a discussion on the ways the CivicTech
solutions can effectively contribute to restoring social contract as a means to improve growth and
stability.

The role of an improved social contract is especially pertinent in the Western and Central Africa region,
where the last three years have seen a significant increase in popular discontent – with a multiplication
of successful and attempted coups. In particular, countries are currently confronted with a volatile
political context in an ever changing social and security environment. This volatile situation could last over
time or repeat itself, signaling a lasting deterioration of the social contract between the population and
their respective democratically elected authorities, perceived to be unable to guarantee their safety and
meet their basic needs. It has also shed light on the overarching social contract breach in the region, in
the midst of a worsening security context, rising terrorist attacks and fatalities, geopolitical shifts, rising
inflation, and food insecurity.3

1This topic is of particular relevance to the AFW GovTech Community given the results of a Survey was conducted by the World
Bank Secretariat from 29th June to August 12, 2022, to inform the development of the Community Program for a year. Responses
to the survey were received from 11 out of 22 countries, all of which highlighted an interest in Mainstreaming Citizen Engagement
through GovTech solutions.
2
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/36777/9781464816628.pdf?sequence=1
3
AFW counts 8 FCS countries and 1 in OP.7.30.

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In confronting regional instability, GovTech can serve as a useful approach for improving the social
contract between citizens and the state. This is particularly relevant as digital technologies and data are
increasingly embedded in our economies and societies, governments are expected to use digital to deliver
in more efficient, inclusive, sustainable and transparent ways. To support these efforts GovTech provides
a whole of government approach to public sector modernization, which emphasizes: (i) citizen-centric
public services that are universally accessible, (ii) a whole-of-government approach to digital government
transformation, and (iii) simple, efficient and transparent government systems.4 In particular, CivicTech –
or citizen-centric GovTech - can serve as an important driver in enhancing civic engagement and
transparency to improve citizens’ trust in public institutions. Since endemic trends such as widespread
disinformation and increasing social polarization generated by social media are eroding important
foundations of the social contract between citizens and the state, CivicTech can counter this tendency
better engaging citizens in public policies and diminishing the wide space that frequently separates
citizens from public institutions.5

Workshop Objective:

The objective of the workshop is to provide an opportunity for participants to discuss more in depth –
including through the use of case studies – how CivicTech can facilitate the relationship between state
and non-state actors. It will aim to discuss more broadly how CivicTech contributes to enhance trust,
participation, and value-creation for improving the social contract in countries thought the region.

Agenda:

• Introduction – Michael Jelenic and Maya Gusarova, West and Central Africa GovTech
Community Co-Leads, World Bank

• Opening Remarks -- Gael Raballand and Tracey Lane, Practice Managers, West and Central
Africa Governance Practice, World Bank

• Setting the Stage: The Intersection of GovTech and Social Contract in Africa – Gaetan Mertens,
Governance Expert, World Bank

• CivicTech for Improved Service Delivery -- João Vasconcelos, Senior Governance Specialist,
World Bank and Judy Backhouse, Senior Academic Fellow, United Nations University Operating
Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance. Civil society organizations and governments are
increasingly using digital technologies and data to encourage and project citizen voice for
improved public service delivery. Building on the recently launched CivicTech How-to-Note, the
WB GovTech Global Unit and the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven

4 Guidance Note - GovTech: The New Frontier in Digital Government Transformation, World Bank, November 2020.
5 https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/38169

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 Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV) 6 will present digital citizen engagement practices from
around the world with positive outcomes on public service delivery.

• Citizen-Centric Service Delivery in Cabo Verde – Mr. João Pedro Pires da Cruz, National Director
of State Modernization, Cabo Verde. Based on recent GovTech Maturity Index Survey 2022 Cabo
Verde made a sound progress in GovTech reforms with a focus on citizen-centric approach,
becoming the best performer on GovTech reforms in the region. The presentation will cover key
lessons from the design and implementation of GovTech systems for enhanced service delivery.

• Opportunities and Challenges of Implementing Citizen-Centric GovTech Reforms - Country

Perspective. The World Bank and Cabo Verde presentations will be followed by discussants of 2-
3 countries of the region, commenting on opportunities and challenges of implementing citizen-
centric GovTech approaches and sharing lessons from their countries.

• Final Questions & Answers. A broader Q&A with the participants will finalize the session.

6 WBG (2022) CivicTech: Transparency, Engagement and Collaboration for Better Governance, available at
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/38169