Author(s): Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA)
Resource Type: Case studies
Countries: United Arab Emirates
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, e-Participation, Citizen Engagement, Decision-making, Empowerment, Transparency
Sharik
UAE’s National Digital Participation Platform
Source in English: ENACT Case Study - Sharik, UAE
Sharik.ae, the UAE Digital Government's platform, enhances citizen engagement and government collaboration. Empowering citizens, residents, and visitors, it facilitates active involvement in decision-making, policy shaping, and initiative creation. With diverse tools, Sharik.ae drives impactful contributions, embodying inclusivity and transparency for a stronger, participatory society.
Launched in 2017 (ongoing)
Principles support
- Responsiveness
- Trust
- Transparency
- Inclusiveness
- Effectiveness
Technology focus
Artificial intelligence - Web experience and gamification
Purpose
Digital government – Open Government – Participation, collaboration & engagement
Sharik.ae facilitates inclusive and transparent governance, encouraging citizens to voice opinions and engage in decisions. As a trusted platform, it empowers UAE entities to gather public input on policies and projects, ensuring responsive actions reflective of collective will. Through its accessible interface, the initiative advances participatory democracy, enabling citizens to shape the UAE's future.
Contributor(s)/Partners
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Health and Prevention
- Ministry of Climate Change & Environment
- Ministry of Community Development
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry Of Human Resources & Emiratization
Functions and/or Features
Sharik.ae offers a dynamic platform for engaging in digital participation initiatives from various government sectors. It allows users to propose suggestions, fostering collaboration. Through forums, surveys, polls, and news, the user-friendly interface facilitates two-way government-public interaction, catering to diverse digital literacy levels with multilingual accessibility, embodying inclusivity in the UAE.
Outcomes, impacts & changes
Sharik.ae empowers active citizen participation, strengthening transparency and collaboration with the government. By gathering feedback and co-designing services, it improved service delivery, achieving 88% service happiness. Notably, Health Ministry's customer councils improved services through public input. UAE's 'Designing the Next 50' project engages citizens, fostering inclusivity and collective decision-making for future development.
Challenges
- Cultivating digital participation in government processes.
- Adapting to evolving technology trends (Blockchain, AI, Metaverse) for Sharik platform.
- Using app dynamics to enhance Sharik based on user interactions.
- Integrating Sharik with government channels for inclusivity.
- Training government employees to use Sharik effectively
Lessons learned
- Government entities should use diverse channels for broader public engagement.
- Incentivization methods like gamification can boost participation.
- Blend online and offline participation for broader inclusion.
- Diversify topics, prioritizing public concerns and vulnerable groups.
- Government employees should grasp that Digital Participation is a means to inclusivity and user-centricity. Awareness was nurtured via the 2022-2023 capacity-building program.
