Lao Social Security Office unveils digital app to expand social protection access

The Lao Social Security Office (LSSO) has announced significant progress in developing a new mobile application designed to transform the delivery of social protection services in Lao PDR. The update was shared during a three-day technical workshop in Vang Vieng (24–26 September 2025), supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

A step toward universal, future-ready social protection

The mobile app is intended to improve access to essential information and services for both LSSO members and the wider public, with a strong focus on underserved rural populations. By offering a user-friendly digital platform, the LSSO aims to make social protection more inclusive, responsive, and efficient.

Currently in its testing phase, the app will officially launch at the National Symposium on Social Protection 2025, scheduled later this year. Once operational, it is expected to significantly enhance the administration of social protection schemes and expand coverage to previously hard-to-reach groups, particularly informal economy workers and youth.

Underpinned by digital integration and research

The app’s development leverages Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that enable seamless integration with other social protection programmes and selected public services, databases, and information systems. This interoperability is considered a major step toward modernising public service delivery in Lao PDR.

Supporting this digital transformation is the newly launched ILO report, “Enhancing social security accessibility in Lao PDR: A road map for LSSO’s digital transformation and service delivery optimization.” The report provides an overview of the country’s digital ecosystem, outlines a roadmap for reform, and identifies areas for future collaboration between the LSSO, government partners, and international organisations.

Workshop highlights and regional collaboration

The workshop was jointly organised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the ILO-China Partnership Project: Extending Social Protection Coverage to Workers in the Informal Economy in Lao PDR. The event brought together policymakers, technical experts, and development partners from Lao PDR, China, Viet Nam, and the ILO.

Participants exchanged experiences, practical lessons, and strategies for extending social security coverage, with a particular focus on overcoming challenges faced by rural and underserved communities. Similar obstacles were noted across countries at varying stages of development, underscoring the importance of cross-border knowledge-sharing and South-South cooperation.

Government and ILO perspectives

Vilayphong Sisomvang, Director General of the Department of Planning and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, stressed the broader vision behind the project:

“Through this project, we have taken important steps in extending social protection to workers in the informal economy by harnessing digital innovation and South-South cooperation. The achievements made include improving accessibility, strengthening systems, and fostering peer learning, are not an endpoint but a foundation. We remain committed to expanding these results and ensuring their sustainability, so that social protection can truly be universal, resilient and future-ready in the digital era.”

Echoing this, Lars Johansen, Deputy Director of the ILO’s Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia, and Lao PDR, highlighted the critical role of technology and national governance in achieving the National Social Protection Strategy (NSPS) objectives.

“The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to exchange perspectives and explore potential solutions together. The discussions laid a strong foundation for continued improvements, ensuring that technological solutions remain central to advancing social protection for all.”

Strategic goals of the ILO-China Partnership Project

The ILO-China Partnership Project follows a three-pronged strategy:

1. Enhancing compliance of formal enterprises with the Social Security Law.

2. Piloting innovative service delivery approaches in underserved areas.

3. Launching the mobile app to broaden outreach to workers, particularly youth and informal economy participants.

By combining legal compliance, pilot innovations, and scalable technology, the project aims to extend social security coverage, strengthen systems, and promote sustainable development in Lao PDR’s social protection landscape.

Toward inclusive digital governance

As Lao PDR accelerates efforts under the National Social Protection Strategy, the mobile application is emerging as a flagship initiative for inclusive digital governance. It represents not only a technological milestone but also a tangible commitment to making social protection more equitable, accessible, and resilient.

The launch later this year will mark an important moment in the country’s journey toward building a universal and future-ready social protection system, offering new hope for informal workers and vulnerable groups who have long been left at the margins.