Context

Governments around the world are engaged in a digital transformation. From international organisations such as the UN agencies and the OECD, to state and local municipalities, the broad embrace of digital technologies is impacting how public services are offered and how users access and experience them,  

Within this context, many of the digital tools and technologies that are being used are developed, owned, and licensed by private, for-profit corporations. From cloud storage of government data, to digitising public healthcare, to the disbursement of social insurance payments, governments are developing contracts with a wide array of industry stakeholders and service providers. Amidst the vast public sector procurement of digital solutions, fundamental questions arise: Whose interests are represented in this digital transformation? And importantly, do procurement policies and/or best practices include sufficient demands to protect quality public services and workers’ rights? 

Details

In this workshop, under PSIs Negotiating Our Digital Future project, we will focus on three main topics: 

1. The importance of including specific demands related to digital technologies. 

2. Suggestion to what these demands could be 

3. Strategies for advocacy to protect quality public services and decent work. 

The workshop will be held online and is open to all PSI affiliates and partners. We encourage active participation and welcome questions, input and comments from the participants. 

When: April 24 at 0800 EST, 1400 CET. 

Where: Online via zoom. Please register before April 12. A zoom link to the workshop will be provided upon registration. 

Interpretation: Will be offered in Spanish, Portuguese, French and Arabic (pending sufficient registrations in each language.) 

Workshop materials: Together with the slide deck, we will provide a report covering the demands we suggest are included in public procurement to participants after the event. 

This workshop takes place in the context of FES-PSI “Negotiating Our Digital Future” project, with support from Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.