Thread by @shafeeu

In his address yesterday at the Majlis, President @ibusolih mentioned a path for National Digital Identification.

Here's a sketch on why and where we want to go.
#mvDigitalID
Bit long . #thread

Maldives began a National ID program in 1984 with the goal to issue an ID card to every citizen. It began with a paper card with a sequential number. The manual register went into a database and the card became plastic at the turn of the millennium.
#mvDigitalID

Apart from the database being opened for other agencies to access, that same system is in place ever since. The same sequential number which we all are so accustomed to has become an integral part of our daily lives.
#mvDigitalID

I have been visiting key government agencies and the National ID is the first pain point that comes up. Identity is central to citizen service delivery.
Thus having an effective verifiable identification system is necessary to begin government digital services.
#mvDigitalID

Issues with maintaining an up-to-date civil register, especially lack of timely reporting mechanisms for deaths and births pose burdens on state that are unnecessary. The pension handouts to accounts of the deceased is an example.
#mvDigitalID

Efforts to ease access to health services are hindered by the lack of a mean of digital verification of the service recipient. Healthcare providers need mechanisms to ascertain a person to maintain medical record integrity as well as to restrict fraud.
#mvDigitalID

Effective monitoring, safety-nets for children can only work when systems are in place to identify the vulnerable. This child isn't going to school. This child hasn't been vaccinated. This child is getting too many injuries. All this circles around identification.
#mvDigitalID

The "ID card copy" dilemma is one we are all too aware of. It's a practise that has to be stopped and again, digital means to person verification is key to that.

FinTech too is hindered by lack of means for digital verification of the person.
#mvDigitaliD

In addition, digital mapping of data around identification has privacy issues that has to be addressed. Such data should never be made available publicly and it should be the right of everyone to know who accessed their data and when.
#mvDigitalID

The sequential numbering system of the ID also pose privacy and security risks. How many of us queried a random ID to test voting registration? Over the years our ID details have been made public officially or via unofficial means. This has to be clamped down by law.
#mvDigitalID

Digital identification is nothing new. The world has done it. We have to learn from the road nations took to achieve their identification framework. India has id-ed a billion people. Other advanced nations have established impressive digital identity frameworks.
#mvDigitalID

What's important is to identify technology innovations and components that would best fit our requirement and come up with an implementation strategy to make this happen.
#mvDigitalID

Our advantage is we have a civil register in place. Every Maldivian national has an ID card number issued to them. We can begin from there.
#mvDigitalID

The identification plan should be inclusive, every foreign worker should have a digital representation of their work permit identification.
#mvDigitalID

Laws to complement and enable the digital identification framework is critical for the success of the roadmap. Cyber security, data privacy and a civil registration acts are what we want to push through.
#mvDigitalID

First, let's make a digital representation of our identity, which would involve biodata and biometrics with cryptography features . And have measures in place to deliver this data to services that require them in a secure and timely manner.
#mvDigitalID

Cards, mobile and other electronic devices can then be verified mediums which carry your digital identity.

We can get there.
#mvDigitalID