In the context of the collaboration agreement signed between UNU-EGOV and the International Social Security Association (ISSA), a webinar on Fostering digital inclusion in social security services was co-organised by both institutions on 10 March 2021.
Social security institutions are globally going digital, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital technologies fundamentally change how people engage and interact with administrations, making it easier for people to access key information, timely fulfil their legal obligations, and obtain e-services and benefits in rapidly evolving societies.
Yet such benefits come with new challenges, raising concerns around accessibility, affordability, skills, legally valid identification, trust and security, as well as notions of equity and inclusion. Addressing these challenges requires strategies to ensure that digital transformation work for all, ensuring that no one is left behind. There is a window of opportunity for social security institutions to shape a digital future which maximises the immense opportunities while fostering social inclusion in all societies.
The session’s goal was to piece together what we know about the main concepts, challenges and issues of social security services; what we need to better understand, and what good practices and innovative solutions have been already applied in different countries.