The United Nations E-Government Knowledgebase (UN-EgovKB) is a benchmarking tool that provides a comparative assessment of the e-government development of UN Member States. It offers an interactive snapshot of each country’s e-government development from a regional and global perspective.

Where does the data come from?

The data utilized in the Database is derived from the United Nations Global E-Readiness Reports and the E-Government Surveys, which are produced by the Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

A flagship publication of DESA, DPADM publishes the UN E-Government Survey every two years. The Survey assesses the e-government readiness and extent of e-participation of the UN Member States according to a quantitative composite index of e-readiness based on website assessment, telecommunication infrastructure, and human resource endowment. The Survey serves as a tool for decision-makers to identify their strengths and challenges in the area of e-government development.

As a virtual home of the United Nations E-Government Survey, the database allows users to view, sort, and print information from the UN E-Development Data Centre and to download all the Surveys published to date.

Why is the Database useful?

The UN e-Government Survey findings show that there are huge disparities in the access and use of information technologies, and that these disparities are not likely to be removed in the near future unless a concerted action is taken at the national, regional and the international levels.

If disparities in access and use of ICTs are to be removed in the collective march towards a global information society, Governments have to integrate e-government and access to ICTs in their national development plans. Governments cannot achieve this goal on their own and need to work in partnership with the private sector and civil society. International organizations and the donor community can also play an important role in devising new initiatives for e-government enabled sustainable development and ensuring that the digital divide is bridged. Inclusive and participatory governance demands that every person has equal opportunities. The new imperative of development is to employ e-government to promote access to ICTs and, social inclusion, to foster economic development and advance environmental protection. 

By providing information that tracks national and global e-government development trends and lessons learned from worldwide good practices, the Survey and the UN e-Government Development Database can support policy makers and practitioners in planning and implementing effective e-government strategies.