Global Insights on Social Registries : Coverage and Beyond

Overview & Synopsis

Social protection and labor programs, such as social assistance, social insurance, or labor and economic inclusion interventions, create pathways to self-reliance, financial inclusion, and financial stability. And when crises hit, they become critical lifelines. Yet, in 2024, nearly 2 billion people still lacked any form of protection and at the current pace, closing the gap would take another two decades. In the context of the polycrisis, including slow economic growth, fiscal pressures, fragility and conflict, food insecurity, escalating climate risks, and the lingering effects of COVID-19, limited social protection coverage is hindering effective responses. Strengthening social protection systems and expanding coverage have therefore never been more urgent. The World Bank, in collaboration with partners, has committed to support an additional 500 million poor and vulnerable individuals with social protection and labor programs by 2030. This ambitious goal demands innovative and efficient approaches to ensure that available resources are directed to those in need, while minimizing administrative burdens and transaction costs. A key enabler is digital technology, particularly dynamic social registries that can identify beneficiaries and assess their needs, not only in crisis, but also during stable times. If complemented by strong human and institutional capacity, dynamic social registries enable social protection responses that can swiftly adapt to evolving needs and everyday shocks. They help uplift people out of poverty, manage income shocks, and navigate life-cycle income losses. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the global landscape of social registries is a key first step in helping governments establish or improve social protection and labor systems that are also shock responsive. This brief provides an overview of this landscape with the aim of fostering dialogue and partnerships as we all work together to help countries build or strengthen social registries and transform them into effective platforms to deliver social protection and support the delivery of labor market services, health and education interventions, and disaster risk management initiatives.