DPI for social protection should prioritize community resilience, equality

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has made the case for digital public infrastructure (DPI) that builds community resilience and improved equality as a way of fighting exclusion in the delivery of social protection services.

With the growing digital transformation trend, governments and organizations have resorted to the delivery of social welfare services using digital channels. But while this has been possible through technologies such as digital ID and biometrics, it has also led to the exclusion of many people, limiting their right to fully enjoy such services.

So, to effectively respond to this challenge and for digitization not to be seen as something that has instead come to alienate the people from the state, the WEF argues that there is undeniable need for the building of “community-based digital solutions that empower citizens.”

Mentioning approaches which can help build and empower communities which are resilient enough against the effects of climate change and other social hazards, the WEF underscores the use of traditional knowledge and digital tools.

“A good starting point for communities to come together and create action plans for using social protection resources is to build a shared understanding of the challenges they face in their local environment, how these challenges developed and how to incorporate their traditional knowledge of how to care for the land,” the WEF writes, adding that “digital technologies like data platforms and environmental monitoring tools can provide communities with better access to insights that need to be deliberated.”

According to WEF, another community resilience-enabling approach is to ensure access and representation of marginalized or affected groups in different levels of the social protection chain. It also mentions that digital infrastructure that help people better have a clue about their rights and the issues around them should also be given precedence.

“Digital technologies for social protection can lead to more democratic outcomes if designed to empower communities to advocate for their needs rather than only to make service delivery more efficient for agencies,” the blog asserts.

To make this happen, it suggests “a community-focused approach that helps people build a shared understanding of local challenges, work together towards common goals, promote equality and strengthen accountability at the local level.”

The WEF has been vocal on different aspects of DPI development including the need for gender equality

Article Topics

digital inclusion  |  digital public infrastructure  |  financial inclusion  |  social protection  |  World Economic Forum