This is the first study of digital social protection from the perspective of informal marginalised workers in Africa.
The right to decent work including social protection is guaranteed to all citizens in multiple international human rights and labour rights conventions, as well as in African Union resolutions. However, many marginalised workers, including informal and rural workers, are excluded from social protection provisions. The digitalisation of social protection promised to increase the convenience and efficiency of accessing social protection entitlements (and it does for many), but millions of informal workers are being further excluded by digitalisation. Six studies were carried out with and by domestic workers, disabled workers, migrant workers, and home-based workers in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. This IDS Research Report synthesises their findings and recommendations to establish a clear agenda for change.
Cite this publication
Faith, B.; Roberts, T. and Alfers, L. (eds) (2024) The Digitalisation of Social Protection in Africa: The Perspective of Marginalised Workers, IDS Research Report 90, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies, https://www.doi.org/10.19088/IDS.2024.022
Authors
![Becky Faith](https://www.ids.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Untitled-design-17-150x150.png)
Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies
![Tony Roberts](https://www.ids.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Tony_Roberts500-e1545144101632-150x150.jpg)
Digital Cluster Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies
Director, Social Protection Programme, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO)
Specialist in Disability Inclusion Development, Governance, and Public Policy
Head, National Secretariat/Director of Programmes, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Nigeria
Executive Director, Africa Labour Research and Education Institute and Chief Economist, African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa)
Labour Migration Governance Expert and Workers’ Education Specialist in Charge of Education and Training, Trades Union Congress Ghana
Regional Coordinator, HomeNet Africa
Trustee, Domestic Workers Union of Zambia
President, Domestic Workers Union of Zambia
Public Policy Analyst and International Development Specialist, ITUC-Africa
Senior Programme Manager, Africa Platform for Social Protection
Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning Officer, Paradigm Initiative
Graduate Intern, Africa Platform for Social Protection – Mentorship Project
Graduate Intern, Africa Platform for Social Protection – Mentorship Project
Chief Operating Officer, Paradigm Initiative
Deputy Finance and Organising, Domestic Workers Union of Zambia
General Secretary, Domestic Workers Union of Zambia
Graduate Intern, Africa Platform for Social Protection – Mentorship Project
Editors
![Becky Faith](https://www.ids.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Untitled-design-17-150x150.png)
Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies
![Tony Roberts](https://www.ids.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Tony_Roberts500-e1545144101632-150x150.jpg)
Digital Cluster Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies
Director, Social Protection Programme, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO)