Zambia: Livingstone hosts drive for data-powered social protection systems

 

Policymakers from across Africa and Asia and the Pacific have gathered in Zambia this week to explore how data, financing and delivery models can be strengthened to make social protection systems more inclusive and resilient. The push comes as governments face growing pressure to respond to overlapping shocks, from food price spikes to tightening public budgets.

Globally, nearly 2 billion people, about 47.6 per cent of the population, still lack access to any form of social protection. In Africa, the coverage is even lower, with only 19 per cent of people receiving at least one benefit. And in Zambia, where about half the population lives in multidimensional poverty, the stakes are especially high.

The three-day interregional workshop, held in Livingstone from 8 to 10 July, is co-hosted by the Government of Zambia, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

“The world is not only dealing with the ongoing effects of the food, fuel, and finance crises but also facing an increasingly complex web of challenges,” said Angela Kawandami, Permanent Secretary at Zambia’s Ministry of Community Development and Social Services. “This meeting is an opportunity to reflect, to learn from each other, and to forge new partnerships.”

The workshop is part of a joint initiative (2024–2027) designed to help six countries – Zambia, Senegal, Tanzania, Namibia, Cambodia and the Maldives – build more responsive and inclusive social protection systems.

The project responds to growing pressure on governments to deliver better outcomes amid limited fiscal space, widening inequalities and persistent data gaps. It aims to equip policymakers with evidence-based tools, training, and peer-learning platforms to improve policy targeting and adapt to fast-evolving challenges.

Opening sessions have focused on digital platforms and analytics tools that can improve targeting and delivery of services. These include the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), OpenIMIS digital registries, and simulation models for adaptive financing.

“Universal social protection includes policies that bridge human capital formation, financial, and information gaps,” said Amson Sibanda, Chief of UNDESA’s National Strategies and Capacity Building Branch. But for these systems to be effective, Mr Sibanda said “they need to be grounded in solid data and delivered at scale.”

One of the new tools introduced is ECA’s prototype Multidimensional Poverty Dashboard. The platform links poverty statistics at the subnational level with real-time crisis indicators such as migration patterns, population shifts, and peace and security data, and is being designed to eventually interface with local-level social protection programmes.

“What we’re building is a tool that goes beyond poverty averages. It connects multidimensional poverty data with real-time information on crises, from migration flows to conflict and climate shocks, and links that with what’s actually happening on the ground in terms of social spending and local programmes,” said Christian Oldiges, Chief of the Social Policy Section at ECA.

“That level of integration is critical if we want social protection systems that are responsive, not just reactive,” Mr Oldiges emphasized.

As discussions continue, a common thread is emerging. Countries are looking to move beyond short-term safety nets toward long-term systems that can withstand shocks and expand opportunity.

In Zambia, efforts are underway to strengthen registries, improve coordination, and embed social protection within broader national development strategies. Similar challenges, from fragmented data to financing gaps, were echoed by other participating countries, including Namibia, Senegal, and Cambodia.

The workshop also feeds into preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development, to be held in Doha this November. That global meeting will take forward the newly adopted Pact for the Future, which calls for stronger, more inclusive protection systems anchored in rights and resilience.

The Livingstone workshop is a valuable platform for countries to share experiences, sharpen policy tools and forge the partnerships required to deliver meaningful social protection outcomes.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).