11.1b How do technological changes impact political, economic, social, environmental and geopolitical structures and how can policymakers balance risks and opportunities?

Background

Innovation has contributed to significant strides in development, from agricultural output in the green revolution, to financial inclusion and accessible services with mobile money and pay-as-you-go business models. FCDO researches and invests in cutting edge technology and innovation to test and scale new ideas, approaches, technologies and business models with the potential to accelerate progress on international development.
FCDO works at the forefront of advances in technology and innovation, in partnership with countries, NGOs and the private sector to strengthen the enabling environment for innovation, to build innovation ecosystems and technology capacity, and to grow the evidence-base on the effectiveness of new use cases. Without the right policies, regulation, responsibility and safety frameworks, and inclusive and behavioural design principles, new technologies can also bring disruption, cause harm and exacerbate inequalities. Creating a responsible and inclusive environment for safe technology development, that protects the most vulnerable, including women and girls and people with disabilities, while encouraging innovation to thrive, is a complex challenge faced by governments, especially those in LMICs.

Next steps

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