Doha: HE Minister of Social Development of Chile, Javiera Toro, emphasized that government investment in institutional capacity, digital innovation, and gender equality not only enhances service delivery but also strengthens citizens' trust in public institutions.
According to Qatar News Agency, speaking at the "Innovative Social Protection Systems" session during the Doha Conference on Solutions for Social Development-held as part of the Second World Summit for Social Development hosted by the State of Qatar from November 4 to 6-HE Minister Toro highlighted that building more inclusive social protection systems requires more than simply increasing resources. It also necessitates transforming the way governments interact with their citizens.
She observed that contemporary discussions about innovation often rely heavily on rhetoric and the promises of artificial intelligence or emerging technologies to tackle issues of exclusion and poverty.
HE Minister Toro underscored that, while such technologies indeed offer many opportunities, it is equally vital to acknowledge that existing information, technologies, and proven tools are already sufficient to significantly enhance the effectiveness of social protection systems.
She further noted that Chile has long leveraged the potential of digital information and technology-through digital identities, system integration, and database interoperability-beginning with the introduction of the unified national identity card in the 1970s and continuing with the establishment of the Social Registry of Households in 2016. This progress, she said, has enabled the expansion of social protection to reach families who were previously excluded.
HE Minister Toro added that such tools are indispensable, particularly in addressing the persistent challenges of fragmentation and over-targeting within social protection systems. She emphasized the importance of continuing efforts not only to improve these systems but also to advance toward the universalization of social protection.