[{"bbox": [96, 153, 1134, 287], "category": "Text", "text": "strengthening data protection and privacy policies underlines this commitment to the Communication. In accordance with the National Plan for Economic and Social Development 2030 (PNDES), specifically with its sections 1.5 *Effective and Efficient Government* and 3.2. *Information technology and communications programme*, this action seeks the digital transformation of the civil service by supporting the government's efforts to strengthen the development of policies for institutional management through ICTs."}, {"bbox": [96, 293, 1134, 400], "category": "Text", "text": "The action is in line with the EU's gender priorities and in particular with the Gender Action Plan III (2021-2025) regarding its thematic areas of engagement \"Addressing the challenges and harnessing the opportunities offered by the green transition and the digital transformation\" and \"Promoting economic and social rights and empowering girls and women\"."}, {"bbox": [85, 468, 341, 499], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [96, 515, 1134, 1047], "category": "Text", "text": "Although Cuba has shown some progress in its digital transformation in recent years, the country still scores low on the United Nations E-Government Development Index (IDGE). Moreover, the Cuban economy has been severely impacted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, having faced significant challenges in recent years, including through the US embargo. While information and communication technologies are being used to improve public management processes to a limited extent, some key challenges prevent the use of digital tools to ensure access to and quality of services, and to revitalise the Cuban economy. Currently, the services and processes available online, social protection schemes, and communication campaigns to increase awareness about digital tools remain limited and the management of governmental digital portals remains weak. There is also a low level of digitisation, a high level of complexity and a high level of bureaucracy in the processes of public entities, which causes dissatisfaction among the population and economic actors with regard to the high number of procedures, the delay in responses and their quality. The lack of technical and financial capacity, combined with a weak inclusive vision in the Cuban regulatory frameworks hinders the possibility of an equal and inclusive economy based on digital government. Moreover, very low data interoperability limits the exchange of data, and the use citizens and researchers can make of it. The recently adopted legal framework for data protection is yet to be analysed with regards to its compliance with high data protection standards such as those put in place, for example, by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the EU. Compatibility between the Cuban legal framework and the GDPR is a fundamental pre-condition for the implementation of the action, especially for activities linked to access, transfer and management of personal data. **If this compatibility is not ensured, a phased implementation model will be envisaged to ensure that each activity respects the security and protection of private data.**"}, {"bbox": [96, 1059, 1134, 1404], "category": "Text", "text": "From a statistical point of view, there is currently no GDP and GINI data with a breakdown by territory or population group, as well as other disaggregated indicators that can support better government management. Despite progress in digital payments for tax matters, digital payments remain underused, hampering the transformation of the informal economy into the formal economy. On the other hand, in Cuba as in the rest of the world, further efforts should be made to reduce the gender gap in the use of and access to digital devices, as well as in overall internet access, which is a declared priority for the Cuban government. In this regard, national institutions are deliberately working to eradicate these differences. The presence of women in technology still needs to increase in both universities and the professional environment, with different barriers linked to culture, economics, education, among others, still hampering greater participation. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights highlighted that the \"gender digital divide [is] a reflection of the overall discrimination faced by women and girls. Issues of access to, use and misuse of digital technologies should be guided by international human rights norms and principles, especially equality, non-discrimination, inclusion, participation and the provision of effective remedies.\""}, {"bbox": [96, 1405, 1134, 1459], "category": "Text", "text": "**Identification of the main actors and corresponding institutional or organisational issues (attributions, potential roles and capabilities) to be covered through the action:**"}, {"bbox": [96, 1472, 1134, 1579], "category": "Text", "text": "The first public counterpart (duty-bearer) to the project will be the Ministry of Communications (MINCOM) with close links with the Ministry of Higher Education (MES), the Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP) and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment (MINCEX), and in synergy with the other relevant institutions in the e-Government and e-commerce programme (ONEI, INOTU, ONAT, MININT, MINSAP, MINCIN, MINED, legal"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1680, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 20"}]