Introduction by the Minister of Social Equality
MK Gila Gamliel
The digital revolution has had an enormous impact on innovation, creativity and quality of life throughout the world in recent decades. Innovative technologies have already contributed significantly to Israeli society and its economy, and continue to hold huge potential.
The State of Israel is known as the “Start-up Nation”, yet only a small percentage of its population is a partner to this technological world. The aim of the National Digital Israel Initiative within the Ministry for Social Equality is to position Israel among the leading, technologically advanced countries in the world, using digitization to bridge the significant socio-economic gaps among disadvantaged populations, while increasing both national and local government efficiency.
The Digital Israel Initiative is a cornerstone of the Ministry for Social Equality’s undertaking to narrow expanding gaps in Israeli society and to create equal opportunities for all citizens. Owing to this initiative and the changes it will engender, every girl and boy in Israel will have the knowledge and digital infrastructures needed to realize his or her full potential, along with broad and equal access to the myriad opportunities offered by the technological world.
We view Digital Israel as a direct investment in human capital, providing real opportunities for mobility in Israeli society, hastening the day when a girl from Dimona or a boy from Rahat will start the next Google or Facebook.
Moreover, with the help of a variety of partners within and outside government, the Digital Israel Initiative will harness Israeli innovation and adopt digital tools to lower the cost of living in Israel. It will do so by, among other things, advancing the housing sector towards the digital age, decreasing high housing prices and developing the digital finance field in order to improve financial services and increase competition.
The National Digital Program presented here represents the policy of the government of Israel to leverage information and communication technologies with the aim of narrowing social disparities, increasing economic prosperity and creating a more efficient and smarter government administration. We thank all those who took part, contributed their experience and energy and helped develop ideas and opinions in formulating this important national program.
Sincerely,
Gila Gamliel
Minister for Social Equality
.jpg)
The Ministry for Social Equality aspires to a society that is diverse, socially resilient and provides equal opportunity to all citizens and population groups in Israel. Digital tools are some of the most significant instruments for narrowing social gaps and achieving equal opportunity. This is why the activities of the ‘Digital Israel’ National Initiative in the Ministry for Social Equality make up such a significant share of the Ministry’s activities and are one of the primary tools for realizing its vision. Adopting digitization processes in government offices is the key to streamlining government work and increasing its effectiveness, but first and foremost a key to advancing fundamental social goals. Digitization can bring the periphery closer to the center, develop and leverage the industrial and business sectors, and produce a quantum leap in the way public products and services are provided. This is a reality that allows for inclusive and sustained growth, reflected in overall improved quality of life in the country.
The State of Israel is at an excellent start point for realizing the vision of the digital revolution. This is the result of the historic convergence of the materialization of innovative technologies and the leading international standing of Israel in technological innovation – which earned it the name the Start-up Nation. The next challenges facing the State of Israel are to establish its leading position in the world, accelerate and propel economic growth and ensure that the advantages of technology will permeate all stratums of society, contributing to narrowing social gaps and providing equal opportunity to all members of society. It is the purpose of the ‘Digital Israel’ National Initiative, advanced by the Digital Israel Bureau, to meet these challenges. To advance the Initiative we formulated the program presented here, together with our various partners in government, business and society-at-large. The program reflects the Israeli government’s policy for the digital age, delineating how the various government offices will act to narrow social disparities, accelerate growth, streamline their work and improve government services to the public using digital tools. Furthermore, we at the Digital Israel Bureau in the Ministry for Social Equality, along with our many partners in government offices, will continue to develop areas that cut across ministries, along with the organizational, technological and physical infrastructures needed to ensure the Initiative’s success. We will continue to benefit from the assistance of the private sector to encourage the penetration of technology into the public sector and will harness it to cultivate innovation in the economy.