Livingstone: Long viewed as a fallback for hard times, social protection is now being reimagined as a driver of resilience. With rising costs, widening inequality, and fragile economies, governments are searching for ways to make every policy choice count. These challenges brought policymakers from Africa, Asia, and the Pacific to Livingstone, Zambia, from 8 to 10 July, where they focused on targeted refinements and applied approaches to strengthen social protection.
According to African Press Organization, the gathering centered on hands-on methods: tools, data, and policy strategies that help governments respond to poverty, economic shocks, and climate threats with greater precision. It formed part of a broader UN effort to promote universal, adaptive, and inclusive social protection systems worldwide. Selahattin Selsah Pasali, Social Affairs Officer at ESCAP, highlighted the value placed by member states such as Cambodia and the Maldives on the tools’ flexibility and training support, which aids in localizing and institutionalizing them. Many countries are now considering a shift from survey data to administrative records for better policy design and cost estimation.
Namibia shared its progress in digitizing its social grant system, while Malawi, a global champion for the Social Protection Accelerator, is implementing a new policy based on a lifecycle approach that addresses risks across age groups. Tanzania is also expanding its model to ensure broader coverage, particularly for informal and rural populations. Frank Kilimba from the Office of the Prime Minister emphasized the move beyond contribution-based systems.
Rwanda participated in exchanging experiences, with sessions on social registries and data integration offering insights into building adaptive systems. Ariane Mugisha, Chief Digital Officer in the Local Government Sector, and Joel Murenzi, Social Protection Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Local Government, emphasized learning from others to expand coverage and adjust benefit levels in line with inflation.
Organizers noted an intentional effort to bring together countries with diverse economic backgrounds. Amson Sibanda, Chief of Service at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), highlighted this diversity, explaining that while challenges differ, the commitment to reform creates a space for grounded exchange. Mamusa Siyunyi, Social Affairs Officer at ECA, stressed the necessity of targeted support amidst various crises and pressures.
Several delegates requested additional training and ongoing technical assistance, while others emphasized the need to bridge institutional divides. Hudha Haleem of the Maldives Bureau of Statistics pointed out the importance of collaboration between data producers and program implementers to create responsive and inclusive systems. Fathimath Nisha Fahmy from the Maldives Pension Office added that geographic realities demand precise, adaptive systems.
Mr. Sibanda underscored the importance of matching innovation with institutional readiness, emphasizing the need for public institutions to harness these tools effectively. As countries prepare for a series of global forums on social development, the Livingstone meeting is part of a broader push to build more resilient social protection systems.
"Policymakers don’t just need inspiration," said Mr. Oldiges. "They need proof points, blueprints, and allies. That’s what we came here to build." The three-day interregional workshop was organized by UN DESA, ECA, and ESCAP in collaboration with the government of Zambia, bringing together officials from eight countries across Africa and Asia-Pacific to build smarter, more resilient social protection systems.