CLIENT CASE STUDY

The World Bank: Creating world-class identity management systems for developing nations

The World Bank is helping developing nations integrate proof-of-identity systems to more reliably and cost-effectively speed critical services to those in need.

OVERVIEW

In 2015, the World Bank teamed with Accenture Development Partnerships (ADP) to rapidly develop a strategic framework for integrating civil registration and identification systems in client countries, including a comprehensive strategy and implementation roadmap for nations with widely differing levels of technology infrastructure maturity.

OPPORTUNITY

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide lack any proof of identity, barring them from receiving vital services such as healthcare, social benefits, financial services and voting rights. Developing countries frequently invest in identity systems that are disconnected and lack interoperability. The Identification for Development (ID4D) program seeks to help countries provide identity for everyone, including birth registration, by 2030, with a focus on the poor and disadvantaged. To move forward, the World Bank needs to establish a standardized integration approach for countries rolling out ID initiatives, reducing costs and duplication. It turned to Accenture because of our extensive experience with identity management programs for governments and organizations worldwide, delivering accurate, convenient and cost-effective solutions—the foundation of high performance public service for the future.

SOLUTION

Working closely with the World Bank ID4D team, Accenture spent four weeks researching ways to integrate identity management system components with disparate initiatives (such as civil registry, social protection, electoral commission, and law enforcement) within a country, as well as regional integration across countries. The resulting framework benchmarked 15 countries against world-class identity management systems, identifying key gaps and ways to overcome them. The process involved examining maturity in various areas including:

  • Enrolling an entire nation’s population

  • Establishing shared infrastructure to support delivery of critical services

  • Implementing appropriate governance structures

  • Enhancing legal and regulatory frameworks

  • Identifying suitable business models

Accenture defined a framework for grouping countries based on the maturity of their ID systems and then built an ID4D Integration Model with different strategies and roadmaps for each of the three country categories.

RESULTS

The ID4D Integration Approach Study provides a foundation for ID4D implementation and consists of the following components:

Benchmarking Report: Defined the features of a highly integrated, unified ID system and categorized countries based on three levels of maturity of their national ID and registry systems.

Scoping Report: Assessed what each country category requires for implementation of a highly integrated model in terms of policy, legal and regulatory frameworks (such as privacy laws), institutional structures, business models, technology systems and regional integration standards.

Strategy and Roadmap for Implementation: High-level strategy and phased roadmap for creating an integrated ID system, customized for each country category.

15 Country Case Studies: In-depth look at 15 countries, including an analysis of existing registries, legal framework, institutions for overseeing ID systems, processes and challenges. For 3 studied countries, detailed recommendations were provided based on interviews and vetting of the ID4D Integration Model.

In just four weeks, Accenture provided the World Bank with a unifying vision and strategy for helping developing nations implement standardized national identity systems, designed to ensure that those in need gain access to life-saving services.