Shock responsiveness national social protection programs

Background: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has one of the highest rates of gender-based violence directed towards children and is widespread in all settings including families, schools and communities. Nearly one in two women aged 25 to 49 is affected by child marriage. As of 2018, the poverty rate of the country was 63.4% and recorded an income per capita estimated at 462. This level of vulnerability and poverty in the DR Congo has jeopardised peace-building and development efforts.

Solution: UNICEF contracted Bewsys to design, develop, and implement a management information system (MIS) for safety nets programs in the DRC. The system was created to feature a dynamic roster of beneficiaries that will be constantly updated to reflect new entries, dropouts, changes in the beneficiaries' socio-demographic information, to aid program enrollment and benefits delivery.

Impact: The management system has increased political will in mobilising resources and improving donor coordination. The easy access to a social registry has made it easier to access and locate vulnerable populations in the event of crisis, to be supported with relief packages through the safety net program. This progress is a step in reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development and economic growth.