Standards, when done right, can reshape everyday life by making complex systems interoperable and efficient. A classic example is the shipping container, which replaced slow, manual loading with a universal format that transformed global trade. In 1956, trucking entrepreneur Malcolm McLean patented the first container structure after seeing the waste in manual cargo handling; proof that a standard is always a trade-off with prior practice. Today, the vast majority of non-bulk cargo travels in containers. 

From containers to data privacy: standards at work 

Standards are mutual forms of understanding in (im)material form. They require negotiation, long-term thinking, and creativity, and they often operate “out of sight,” quietly enabling the products, services, and infrastructures we use every day. They also have to be timely: what feels urgent to experts may not yet resonate with citizens. GDPR is a case in point, many initially missed how a new digital layer altered what felt “normal” in everyday life. 

Imagined communities: why alignment precedes adoption 

Benedict Anderson’s idea of “imagined communities” explains how people align around shared beliefs and norms even without direct contact. In standardisation, communities often agree on principles (privacy-by-design, accessibility) before laws or products fully reflect them. This social alignment – the praxis – helps technical standards “stick,” linking expert work to public expectations and, eventually, to policy and market adoption. 

For citizens raised in an analogue world, privacy was about being seen or unseen. The digital layer of the past decades created a hybrid space of invisible traces. Europe was among the first to grasp the repercussions: individuals in commercial digital spaces are sliced into data points that may not resemble the person at all. This understanding, the priority on individual privacy, is central to GDPR. In the InDiCo-Global portfolio, this perspective connects social fabric (awareness, norms, expectations) with technical pathways (standards, architectures, compliance). 

In this article, we focus on two InDiCo-Global projects in Africa: accessibility standards and digital identity wallets. 

1) Accessibility Standards / EAA in Africa 

One of the project winners from our first Open Call, Accessibility Standards / EAA in Africa, aims to bring the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and standards such as EN 301 549 to African countries. The goal: ensure that digital platforms, mobile apps, public services, and other ICT tools are accessible to all, including people with visual, auditory, and mobility impairments. 

The project works with governments, NGOs, and technology experts to adopt and adapt these standards through workshops, training, and policy discussions. It leverages the EAA as a foundation while localising principles to regional legislative and technological contexts, focusing on knowledge transfer, stakeholder engagement, and policy advocacy for integration into national frameworks and ICT procurement. 

Expected impacts include stronger alignment with global accessibility frameworks, better compliance with digital accessibility practices, and greater inclusivity in ICT products and services. Given the project’s digital scope, adherence to GDPR principles is essential, especially when handling personal data of people with disabilities. Partners will incorporate best practices and provide training on GDPR’s role in inclusive digital policy. 

2) Common security denominators for digital identity wallets (EU–Africa) 

Another first Open Call winner is developing guidelines on common denominators for security levels of digital identity wallets between Europe and Africa. Imagine passports, ID cards, and driver’s licences securely stored on your phone, as reliable as physical documents, enabling seamless access to banking, healthcare, and government services. 

Because digital identities cross borders, wallet security is a global challenge. The project examines the “delta” between the European wallet regulation (eIDAS) and Africa’s emerging trust frameworks, especially on security, to define what secure deployment could look like in African contexts, informed by European models and local realities. The outcome will be a publicly available guideline to strengthen international cooperation, build trust in digital identity systems, and contribute to global cybersecurity.  

Standards don’t just encode technical choices; they crystallise shared expectations. When communities cohere around principles – privacy, accessibility, security – adoption accelerates, and impact compounds. The two projects highlighted here translate that social praxis into practical results.  

Join the conversation: Explore our upcoming activities and connect with the teams behind these projects on our Events page.