Digital government

Pushing the Limits of Innovation, Improving Social Protection and Livelihoods in Cote d'Ivoire

World Bank joined hands with IFC on a project for digitizing and modernizing Côte d’Ivoire’s social protection payments. Results show a reduction in administrative costs and better targeting of beneficiaries.

Microfinance and Poverty Reduction: Is Social Protection the Missing Link?

The paper highlights that existing literature largely overlooks recent developments in the arena of social protection that are impacting financial needs of the poor and discusses some empirical findings from three Indian states.

Governance of Social Protection for Informal Sector Workers in Asia

This report covers overview and constraints of setting up a social protection system for informal workers in Asia. It also includes interesting case studies of some Asian countries including Bangladesh, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines.

Promoting responsible digital wage payments

This ILO brief gives an overview of the different considerations to maximize the potential of digital wage payments.

The state of social assistance in Africa

The UNDP report analyzes the recent growth across three foundational dimensions of social assistance in the continent - legal frameworks, institutions and financing.

Buckinghamshire County Council: Prepaid card delivers social benefits for children and young people in care

Buckinghamshire County Council discusses the case how they provided access to leisure and positive activities for children and young people through prepaid cards, reacheing over 80 percent within 15 months into the program.

Data Privacy and Protection: Guidance Note to Kenya’s Digital Financial Services

This guidance note highlights how Kenya’s innovation and fintech ecosystem can comply with data protection laws while keeping the customer in mind.

Consumer protection standards for digital credit 

Similar to the RDPGs, this Smart Campaign publication identifies standards for responsible digital financial services, especially credit. It aims to guide the practices of both fintechs and traditional financial service providers undergoing digital transformation. 

Policy and regulatory recommendations to facilitate mobile humanitarian and social assistance during COVID-19

This guidance note outlines the most significant challenges that MNOs face (or likely to face) in the context of supporting the delivery of humanitarian assistance in a COVID-19 world and offers relevant recommendations to governments on how to help address or mitigate these challenges.

Within Reach: How Digital Wages That Work for Women Can Support Bangladesh’s Economic Future

HERproject’s research charts progress towards wage digitization in Bangladesh; three plausible alternative futures to what wage digitization may look like ten years from now; and recommendations to strengthen digital payment systems that empower workers.

State of Maryland: Significant savings and improved convenience with electronic payments

The State of Maryland needed a faster, more reliable and more cost effective way of making unemployment benefit payments to citizens who depended on them.

The State’s original process was…

Did you see my tweet?  

This FSD Kenya analysis demonstrates the utility of social media (Twitter) analytics tools for monitoring discussions around consumer protection. 

Liberian Teacher ePayments: Stepping Stones to Inclusion

This blog, focussing on case of Liberia, discusses how digital payments are improving government service delivery and leading to higher take-home pay and improved transparency.

Household finance and economic development

This chapter provides an overview of financial inclusion around the world and discusses the empirical evidence on how the use of formal financial services significantly contribute to inclusive growth and economic development.

An Introduction to Digital Financial Services (DFS)

Digital Financial Services (DFS) is a relatively new, low-cost means of digital access to transactional financial services. Often termed ‘mobile money’ or ‘mobile financial services,’ DFS is…

Next Steps for the Digital Revolution in Africa: Inclusive Growth and Job Creation Lessons from Kenya

This paper provides examples of how digitization in Kenya has supported the economy via a retail electronic payments system, financial inclusion, increased financial sector vibrancy, and pushed GDP growth with it.

Middle East and North Africa Economic Monitor, October 2018: A New Economy in Middle East and North Africa

This report lays out the principles for a new digital economy for MENA that embraces innovation and entrepreneurship, youth and women economic empowerment, rekindling the role of State, etc.

Testing the Waters: Digital Payments for Water and Sanitation

Water providers are shifting to digital payments to reduce expenses and streamline delivery. In this report, CGAP and GSMA share lessons learned from 25 organizations, including the challeng…

Global Microscope 2018: The Enabling Environment for Financial Inclusion

It sets a model for an enabling environment for financial inclusion across five domains: 1. Government and Policy Support; 2. Stability and Integrity; 3. Products and Outlets; 4. Consumer Pr…

Should graduation programmes replace the more conventional cash transfers? 

What comes after unconditional cash transfers? Does the inclusion of some form of graduation programs offer a more sustainable solution to poverty? Read this blog to learn more about the deb…