This document provides concrete tips for humanitarian and social protection practitioners to link their work effectively at the country level. It outlines nine practical principles that help bridge the gap between immediate crisis response and long-term support systems. These guidelines are especially valuable for program designers, field coordinators, and policy makers working in contexts where humanitarian assistance must connect with national protection frameworks.
Key Insights
Identification and Registration of Applicants
From the start of a crisis, it is essential to build synergies between relevant systems. This approach ensures resources are used efficiently while meeting immediate and long-term needs.
Eligibility Determination and Enrolment
Eligibility is determined at the programme level, and is then integrated into the broader system. This ensures that resources are targeted effectively to those most in need, and eligibility data is managed efficiently.
Data Integration
Data integration across multiple programmes requires careful consideration of technological infrastructure, data governance frameworks, and ethical considerations.
Key Finding: Key Components of a Functional Programme MIS
The key components of a functional programme MIS are information requirements, software application, database, hardware infrastructure, and telecommunications system.
Principle 1: Systematically Assess Entry Points
From the start of a crisis, it is essential to build synergies between relevant systems. This approach ensures resources are used efficiently while meeting immediate and long-term needs.
Principle 2: Build Harmonization, Not Duplication
“Where possible, harmonize systems rather than duplicating them. This principle requires extensive consultations with existing system stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and community representatives.”
Key Statistics & Data
- The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme in Ghana initially relied on paperwork for data collection.
- Kenya’s Single Registry was populated with information on 883,000 recipient households, approximately 3.7 million individuals.
- The Republic of South Africa’s Department of Social Development processes 16,991,634 grants monthly.
- Zimbabwe’s NAP II database contains information on 539,057 households across 24 districts.
Methodology
This is a guidance document and is not based on a particular research methodology. However, it draws upon experiences from various countries and organizations involved in social protection efforts.
Implications and Conclusions
The document highlights the need for careful planning, stakeholder involvement, and a focus on creating a system that is both effective and sustainable. Key considerations include addressing capacity constraints, ensuring sustainable funding, and tailoring solutions to the specific context and needs of each country. The use of technology can enhance these systems, but careful consideration must be given to data privacy and security, as well as to the ethical implications of collecting and sharing personal data.
Key Points
- MIS play a pivotal role in the implementation of social protection schemes.
- A programme MIS enables the flow and management of information to support key processes within social protection schemes.
- MIS systems that vary depending on their objective, focus, functionality, maturity, sophistication, and level of integration and inclusion.
- Three main approaches to developing an integrated system for information management: Integrated Recipient Registry, Social Registry, and Virtual Social Registry.
- Integrated data and information management within the SP sector can bring policy and operational gains.
- The maturity of ICT development in different institutions, management complexities including maintenance of technology, back-ups and possible coordination problems and escalation of costs must be taken into account.
- There is a need to involve all potential stakeholders in the design and development process.