Digital Convergence Initiative

An open, transparent, and virtual community working to build a global consensus around standards for social protection information systems.

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What is the challenge at hand?

Despite widespread recognition of the benefits that digital solutions can unleash, countries are struggling to fully realise them.

Even though social protection programme follow a common set of processes, fragmented social protection information systems are unable to communicate with other systems. This lack of harmonisation and interoperability not only impacts on social protection outcomes, but also leads to wasted public expenditure.

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Why is interoperability for social protection so important?

"Giving good quality services to people is central to a citizen centered government. For this reason, in Chile we are convinced that digital transformation is urgent to improve the interactions between people and public services. In this sense, having integrated and interoperable information systems for delivery of social protection programs is key. Thus, for example, it is possible reducing the amount of information asked to people, since likely at least one other public agency already has it." Verónica Achá Alvarez Department Lead on Analysis of Social Information, Ministry of Social Development and Family Chile
"DCI is uniquely positioned to build consensus on standards for the social protection sector. The standards enable digital public goods to be interoperable, contributing to efficiency and transparency in social protection delivery. This will help countries to get best-in-class digital solutions." CV Madhukar CEO Co-Develop
"It is critical that we align our social protection digital investments with work on digital public infrastructure (e.g., ID, payments) to ensure that countries and donors are investing their money in reusable public goods designed to protect citizens to ensure a positive digital future." Kate Wilson Founder and Senior Advisor, The Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL)
"Since its launch, the DCI has been playing a critical role in bringing together a community of social protection, ICT and legal experts to exchange experiences, enhance knowledge and foster a global consensus around the development of common standards and guidelines for social information systems. This is a great contribution as the deployment of digital tools is key to strengthen delivery systems, extending social protection coverage and disbursing benefits more timeously and effectively."

Alejandro Grinspun Senior Economist in the Social Protection Team, FAO
"Türkiye is pleased to be part of DCI generating convergence among the countries in developing their own SPS. DCI gives a chance to us sharing our experiences in establishing and running of the digital system and creates oppourtunities to learn different modalities in designing SP programs and solutions of the problems in digital SPS from other countries experiences. Digital infrastructure in SPS is facilitator to reach SDGs’ targets, and creating social registry is the key factor to enhance SPS." Ercan Dansuk Senior Social Protection Specialist Ministry of Family and Social Services, Türkiye
"Management Information Systems (MISs) are helping governments bypass traditional development trajectories and are now a key investment for building the ‘welfare state’. Converging on some core parameters and standards on how to design and implement MISs will help governments set-up solutions in otherwise lengthy timelines and deliver more rapidly on their mandates." Andres Chamba Social Protection Specialist, World Food Programme
"Social protection systems don't operate well in a silo. To provide inclusive and valuable services to beneficiaries they need to be part of an ecosystem of interoperable information systems that can share data. These interfacing systems range from civil registry platforms like OpenCRVS that provide a flow of eligible beneficiaries, through to the payments systems that route and transfer cash to those most in need." Edward Duffus Product Strategy and Sustainability, OpenCRVS

In focus

Event

Interoperability in Action #4 - farmer registries

We are pleased to invite you to our fourth workshop of the series – Interoperability in Action – on 27th April – from noon…

Event

Dialogue series: Session 11 - tba

Integrated Social Protection Information System Talking interoperability is a dialogue series being convened by the Digital Convergence Initiative (DCI) to facilitate in-depth technical…

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