Sessions on Exploring Social Protection Solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa and Tanzania – Day 1: Advancing Adaptive and Digitalized Social Insurance for Informal Workers
Written by Amirhosein Rahbari (Social Protection Specialist, Intern at socialprotection.org) and Sayanti Sengupta (Independent Consultant, collaborates with organizations such as ILO, UNICEF, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre).
Introduction
Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) University of Applied Sciences organised a groundbreaking three-day alumni event centered around the theme of “Advancing Social Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa – Smart Solutions for the Insurance Sector,” held in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. This event saw remarkable engagement from key stakeholders in Tanzania’s social protection sector, as well as alumni of the master’s degree in Social Protection Systems, who have since become esteemed subject-matter experts in various fields.
The event was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of Germany and co-organised with the local partner University, the Institute of Financial Management (IFM). Over the three days, experts shared insights about ongoing work in the field of social protection from Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond to find creative and sustainable solutions to expand comprehensive social protection coverage.
This blog is the first in a three blog posts series, sharing insights from Day 1 of the event, with conversations around social insurance, digitalisation, climate change and informal sector. Stay tuned for the following posts!
Dr. John Kingu, Dr. Emmanuel Mnzava, Prof. Esther Schüring, and Paulina Hinz – Welcoming Remarks
The event began with warm welcomes from Dr. John Kingu, Dean of the Faculty of Insurance and Banking at IFM, and Dr. Emmanuel Mnzava, IFM’s Deputy Rector for Academic Research and Consultancy. This was then followed by Prof. Esther Schüring, former head of the Social Protection Department at H-BRS, and Paulina Hinz from the H-BRS’s International Office, who also extended their greetings. Their opening remarks set the stage for three days of insightful discussions on social protection.
Keynote Speaker: Prof. Simona Helmsmüller
The keynote address delivered by Prof. Simona Helmsmüller, Head of the Department of Social Protection at H-BRS University, highlighted the formidable challenges of our era and proposed three powerful antidotes. These solutions are social protection, which fortifies social cohesion, bolsters political systems, and enhances inclusiveness; education, a conduit for information dissemination that fosters innovation and critical thinking skills, thereby fuelling progress; and lastly, international collaboration, a crucible for empathy, mutual respect, resource-sharing, compassion, and solidarity, all of which collectively reinforce integrity.
Dr Helmsmüller’s framing of these strategies set the tone for the discussions over the following days on advancing social protection, enhancing education and awareness, and establishing benchmarks for international cooperation that foster inclusivity, integrity, and innovation.
Speaker 1: Sayanti Sengupta - Lessons from Past Crises
Sayanti Sengupta, who works as an independent consultant to organisations like the Red Cross Climate Centre, ILO, and UNICEF, commenced the seminar with a discussion on the role of social insurance in risk prevention and risk pooling. Reflecting on experiences during COVID-19, she underscored the relevance of social insurance schemes in addressing crises, with 179 countries implementing 719 measures related to social insurance. The top five areas of support included healthcare, paid sick leave, pension adjustments, contribution waivers, and unemployment benefits.
Drawing from Indonesia’s exploration of social insurance in its Adaptive Social Protection Roadmap, Sengupta pointed out that numerous countries are currently examining policy options and adjustments, such as horizontal/vertical expansions or design tweaks to their social insurance systems, to enhance their responsiveness to crises.
She emphasised the significance of identifying financing strategies as a crucial piece of the puzzle, while also highlighting that strengthening core systems, updating communication mechanisms, and enhancing data-sharing are equally vital and complementary elements in making social insurance responsive to crises.
Speaker 2: Edmund Mushi - Innovative Insurance Operations
Edmund Mushi’s presentation provided a captivating glimpse into innovative insurance operations through Imatic Technologies Limited’s Smart Policy Information Platform. This digital platform has transformed the insurance landscape of Tanzania, making it accessible and efficient by bundling various distribution channels, including brokers, mobile apps, and aggregator platforms. This success story is a shining example of how private sector technological innovations can transform aspects of social protection, especially in reaching a broader audience through advanced platforms.
Speaker 3: Michael May - Employment Injury Insurance
Michael May from GUV Oldenburg (provider of statutory accident insurance and a state-directed corporation) discussed the features of Employment Injury Insurance in Kenya. He presented the German Social Accident Insurance as a comprehensive model, covering occupational and community accidents and diseases. He advocated for a similar approach in Kenya, focusing on healthcare and rehabilitation to reduce costs and promote rapid return to work. This approach stresses the significance of compliance with international standards, automatic benefits provision, and the crucial sequence of prioritising prevention before rehabilitation and, in turn, rehabilitation before compensation.
Speaker 4: Abdulrahimsidiq Rajab - Integrating Social Welfare and Climate Change Insurance
Abdulrahimsidiq Rajab delved into the integration of social welfare and climate change insurance in Tanzania. He outlined various financing options for climate risk, including national and international sources and risk transfers. Rajab emphasised that climate risk insurance is crucial for vulnerable populations in Tanzania, where close to 90% of the population is in the informal sector with many relying primarily on agriculture and natural resources.
Panel Discussion 1: Digitalisation of Social Protection
A panel discussion was hosted by Zubeda Chande with panellists Arthur Ngasani (IFM), Brian Mathebula (H-BRS), Fahad Kimaro, (Imatic Technologies Limited), and Dr. Said Jafar (IFM) to deliberate on the role of digitalisation in expanding social protection in Tanzania. Panellists discussed the three pillars of social insurance in Tanzania, emphasising the challenges of covering the informal sector and pension funds for informal workers.
Digitalisation was identified as a key enabler of efficient service delivery, with technology helping to reach underserved areas and improve client expectations. The importance of connecting social services through digital platforms and addressing the needs of the informal sector was stressed.
Panel Discussion 2: Increasing Access to Social Insurance for the Informal Economy
The second panel, moderated by Brian Mathebula, featured distinguished panellists including Sebrina Brown from the Planning Institute of Jamaica, Fernanda Teixeira from the University of Manchester (UK), Naomi Mwilwa Mfalila from the National Social Security Fund in Tanzania, and Mercy Mwebaza from the International Rescue Committee in Germany. Speakers discussed the challenges and opportunities of providing social insurance to the informal economy in countries like Uganda, Jamaica, Brazil, and Tanzania. It was noted that a significant portion of the population in these countries falls into the informal sector, making formalisation and access to social protection essential. It was emphasised that the concept of formalisation must be context-specific and centred around meeting the unique needs of each location, focusing on the removal of barriers to labour market participation and enhancing access to workers’ rights.
Conclusion
The first day of the seminar provided valuable insights into the functions of social insurance and raising sustainable financing for social protection in Sub-Saharan Africa. Speakers and panellists discussed the critical role of digitalisation and technologies, to meet the formidable challenges of expanding coverage to the informal economy. The interesting conversations on the first day were continued throughout the event, as the participants delved deeper into the Tanzanian social protection system and explored actionable solutions to the challenges faced by Sub-Saharan Africa in achieving sustainable social protection.
*This blog post is part of the ‘Advancing Social Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa – Smart Solutions for the Insurance Sector’ series, which covers discussions based on insights and data from the groundbreaking three-day alumni event organized by Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) University of Applied Sciences in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. The event, focused on advancing adaptive and digitalized social insurance for informal workers, received funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of Germany and was co-organized with the local partner University, the Institute of Financial Management (IFM).
Please note that the views and opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of Germany, H-BRS University of Applied Sciences, or the Institute of Financial Management (IFM). The information provided here is for informational purposes only.
Stay tuned for the upcoming posts in this series for further insights into the event's discussions on topics including digitalization, climate change, and the informal sector.
