Zambia Hosts Global Meet to Boost Inclusive Social Protection Systems

Amid a backdrop of mounting global challenges—from soaring food prices to deepening poverty and fiscal tightening—governments from Africa and Asia-Pacific have convened in Livingstone, Zambia, this week to explore innovative strategies for building inclusive and shock-resilient social protection systems. The three-day interregional workshop, held from 8–10 July 2025, has brought together policymakers, experts, and development agencies in a bid to move from fragmented, reactive safety nets to integrated, data-driven, and adaptive social protection systems.

A Collaborative Initiative for Stronger Systems

The workshop 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). It is part of a 2024–2027 interregional project targeting six countries—Zambia, Senegal, Tanzania, Namibia, Cambodia, and the Maldives—with the aim of equipping governments with policy tools, financing models, and data systems that enhance service delivery and social resilience.

“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 of 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 Scale of the Challenge

According to UN data, nearly 2 billion people globally (47.6%) lack access to any form of social protection. In Africa, the situation is even more dire, with only 19% of the population covered by at least one social protection benefit. In Zambia, where about half the population lives in multidimensional poverty, the need for responsive systems is acute.

“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, they need to be grounded in solid data and delivered at scale.”

Focus on Innovation: Data, Digital Tools & Adaptive Financing

Opening sessions at the workshop have spotlighted innovations in digital infrastructure and analytics tools that improve targeting and service delivery. Key technologies include:

• Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for comprehensive assessment

• OpenIMIS digital health and social protection registry systems

• Simulation models to assess financing gaps and forecast demand

• Digital platforms for real-time beneficiary tracking

A standout feature is the prototype Multidimensional Poverty Dashboard developed by the ECA, which links poverty metrics with crisis indicators such as population shifts, internal displacement, and conflict data. This real-time dashboard is being tailored to connect directly with local social protection programmes to improve responsiveness and decision-making.

“This tool moves beyond poverty averages,” explained Christian Oldiges, Chief of Social Policy at ECA. “It integrates poverty data with live information from climate shocks to migration flows and maps that to actual spending and program delivery at the ground level.”

Building Resilient Systems, Not Just Safety Nets

A strong consensus has emerged: social protection must evolve from short-term crisis response to long-term, inclusive systems that provide both resilience and opportunity. For example, Zambia is undertaking reforms to:

• Strengthen social registries and beneficiary databases

• Integrate protection programmes into its broader development strategy

• Leverage digital finance and data analytics for policy targeting

Similar reform challenges—especially around fragmented financing, data deficits, and institutional silos—were echoed by Namibia, Cambodia, and Senegal.

Toward the Second World Summit for Social Development

This workshop feeds directly into preparations for the upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development, to be held in Doha in November 2025. The summit will build on the momentum of the newly endorsed Pact for the Future, which advocates for rights-based, inclusive social protection embedded in climate resilience and sustainable development frameworks.

Looking Ahead: Shared Vision and Collective Action

As the Livingstone workshop wraps up, participants have emphasized the importance of peer learning, South-South cooperation, and global support in reshaping the social protection landscape. Governments are looking to bridge policy gaps, streamline delivery mechanisms, and leverage international best practices to ensure that social protection becomes a catalyst for reducing inequality and enabling economic opportunity.

“This is about more than programmes,” concluded Minister Kawandami. “It is about building systems that work for everyone—especially the most vulnerable—no matter the shocks that come.”