Supporting the Digital Transformation and Interoperability of Social Protection Systems Globally towards Achieving the Goal of Universal Social Protection 2030

The session will be in English.

This side event of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development aims to raise awareness on how human-centred digitalisation in social protection can contribute to improving people’s lives. Digitalisation has the potential to accelerate coverage and help countries better serve people, strengthening the social contract and ensuring that the just transition towards a climate-neutral and digital economy happens, leaving no one behind.

Countries around the globe are strengthening the digital backbones of their social protection systems, aiming to take advantage of the promise that digital transformation holds. Growing attention is being paid to Digital Public Infrastructure, to creating interoperability between sub-systems as well as to using Digital Public Goods to enhance the sustainability of social protection delivery systems.

To help countries in their endeavours, the European Commission is investing in the international flagship initiative in the sector, the Digital Convergence Initiative (DCI), to support digital transformation and interoperability of social protection systems. This is being implemented by Germany, France and Spain, in a Team Europe approach along  with the ILO and the World Bank, and openIMIS, the sector’s leading Digital Public Good. By focusing on digital transformation, this support also boosts the EU’s Global Gateway investment agenda, which stands for sustainable and trusted connections that work for people and the planet.

These initiatives are expanding their partner networks and exemplify how international cooperation, mutual learning and joint development of solutions – in the spirit of SDG 17 – can contribute to achieving SDGs 1, 2 and 16. The initiatives will also serve the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, by making digital expertise available in the countries of implementation (pathfinder countries).