In Costa Rica, the Connection SDGs (Conexión ODS) initiative is transforming local communities by combining digital innovation with women’s leadership. By leveraging technology in everyday problem-solving, the programme empowers women entrepreneurs, community leaders, and municipalities to create more inclusive and sustainable futures. Since its inception, over 300 participants have enhanced their skills in digital literacy, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and online security, while 160 women have received targeted training in leadership and the use of digital tools to strengthen their businesses and community projects.
Implemented in the cantons of Atenas, Palmares, and Sarchí, Connection SDGs demonstrates how digital transformation can drive local development. The programme focuses on three key areas: empowering women and community leaders, modernizing municipal public management through evidence-based decision-making, and strengthening Community Innovation Labs (LINCs) as spaces for designing local solutions with technology. Led by UN agencies in Costa Rica—UN-Habitat, UN Women, and UNDP—alongside IFAM, MICITT, and local municipalities, the initiative is supported technically and financially by the Joint SDG Fund.
The LINCs serve as community laboratories equipped with 3D printers, drones, and digital learning stations, enabling residents to innovate and undertake local projects. Participants such as women entrepreneurs and municipal councilors have reported increased confidence, political engagement, and organizational capacity. The programme has also guided the development of a Gender Equality Policy in Sarchí, providing a participatory model to integrate gender perspectives in municipal planning, from budgeting to service design.
Connection SDGs has strengthened municipal governance by introducing digital tools, data dashboards, and gender-focused planning processes. For instance, in Sarchí, the initiative identified gaps in property tax collection and provided technical support to improve efficiency. This approach enhances transparency, strategic planning, and citizen participation, creating a model for data-driven, inclusive local governance.
Beyond the three pilot cantons, the programme aims to scale nationally through the Network of SDG-Promoting Cantons, replicating lessons learned and offering technical assistance to other municipalities. By integrating digital innovation with a gender focus, Connection SDGs provides a replicable framework for sustainable local development. UN Resident Coordinator Allegra Baiocchi highlighted that coordinated action between local governments, communities, and international partners can generate meaningful transformation, placing people at the center, promoting equity, and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals from the ground up.
The initiative demonstrates that technological innovation, combined with inclusive policies—especially for women and traditionally excluded groups—can accelerate human development at the local level. Its multi-actor, multi-sector, and multi-level governance approach represents a best practice in digital transformation with a gender focus, showcasing the potential for sustainable and inclusive community progress.
