developmentpathways.co.uk (January 2026) In this paper, Richard Chirchir and Paul Njoroge Mwangi explore Kenya’s journey from cash to code, showing how digital payments have reshaped social protection programmes. The paper describes how Kenya transitioned from manual cash disbursements to fully digital, mobile money-based social payments.

socialprotection.org (12.12.2025) This paper considers the methodological challenge of mapping systemic risks and harms emerging from the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in social welfare systems. Recent tragedies in social welfare put focus on the role of algorithmic systems in the execution of social security policies, motivating new governance and regulatory measures. While many efforts have tried to address risks at the level of the technology, individual process or organization, algorithmic risks in social welfare are inherently sociotechnical.

idos-research.de (2025) The historical influence of colonial powers and the continued, deep-rooted engagement of international development actors in shaping social protection systems is widely recognized across academic and policy arenas. Nevertheless, evidence of the role of coloniality in social protection remains limited. This Discussion Paper explores the enduring impact of colonialism on contemporary social protection systems by considering the role of coloniality in social protection in the Global South, and Africa in particular.

Asian Development Bank (Nov 2025) Showcasing innovative community-based long-term care (LTC) models in Indonesia, Mongolia, and Viet Nam, this publication looks at ways integrated and holistic care and support services can underpin aging in place and improve health outcomes.

ilo.org (05.12.2025) As crises become more frequent and complex, robust unemployment protection systems are essential to safeguard income security and support full, productive and freely chosen employment. This new ILO brief provides practical guidance for building rights-based unemployment protection schemes that deliver on these goals. 

socialprotection.org (2025) This scoping review investigates the potential for channelling innovative climate finance into social protection systems with a specific focus on rural populations.

Digital Convergence Initiative (nov 2025) This publication presents the results of a study conducted to identify best practices from public financial management (PFM) standards (PEFA, SDMX, GFSM), healthcare interoperability standards (HL7 FHIR, IHE), and ISO standards to inform the development of DCI standards. The study highlights several key factors behind successful interoperability standards: Engaging a diverse and extensive pool of experts, while keeping a clear focus, drives adoption and prevents complexity. A robust change management framework, with clearly-defined processes for prop

E-Journal of International and Comparative Labour Studies (Vol. 14 No. 2 - 2025) This paper examines the challenges facing European social security systems, focusing on Italy and Sweden’s differing approaches to pension reform amid ageing populations. It analyses how demographic shifts—such as declining fertility and increased longevity—are impacting the balance between contributors and beneficiaries in pay-as-you-go (PAYG) schemes.

socialprotection.org (2025) The MENA region faces increasing vulnerability, displacement and humanitarian needs that outpace available resources. While social protection systems exist in several countries, conflict, fragility and parallel humanitarian responses have strained national efforts. Strengthening coordination between humanitarian, development and SP actors is critical to ensure more coherent, efficient and sustainable support and impact.

This report focuses on the digitalisation of front- and back-office processes in monetary social benefits. In 10 EU Member States and Norway, a digital application is possible for all, or all but one, of the nine benefits investigated. In at least five Member States, paper applications have been discontinued for some of the benefits. The automation of benefits, which removes the need to apply and prevents non-take-up, is most common for child benefits. Digitalisation is often applied to identify overpayments, but rarely to detect cases of non-take-up.