Colonial continuities in the area of social protection: Learning from the past and present

Event Type
Online discussion

Location / Date
Online, 12.03.2025

German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)

Across low and middle-income countries, many policy fields continue to be shaped by the effects of colonialism and post-colonialism. This is particularly true for social protection. Some of today’s social protection institutions and programmes in low and middle-income countries were set up by former colonial powers and primarily intended to serve their interests. After independence, postcolonial influence continued with social protection in many low and middle-income countries shaped by policy agendas, economic structures and donor and funding modalities established and dominated by high-income countries.  
The German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) has therefore commissioned three studies on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ). These studies were carried out by a team of researchers from the Open University in the UK, the Université Jésuite of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. They analyse in which ways social protection systems in Africa, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania, are characterised by colonial legacy and postcolonial influence, and how this intersects with countries’ own interests and priorities.
The studies will be presented and discussed in an online event. Guiding questions for the discussion will be (i) how low and middle-income countries can reform their social protection systems according to their own political understanding and (ii) what international donors can do to support them in this regard and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

Agenda:

Welcome note

• Reinhard Palm, BMZ, Berlin, Germany:

Introduction to the discussion

• Markus Loewe, IDOS, Bonn, Germany:      

Introduction and framework of the study “Social protection and coloniality: Learning from the past and present”

• Keetie Roelen, The Open University, UK:

Presentation of the case study on Cote d’ivoire

• Arsène Brice Bado, Université Jésuite, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire:

Presentation of the case study on Tanzania

• Winnie Muangi, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:

Findings from the study “Social protection and coloniality: Learning from the past and present”

• Roosa Lambin, The Open University, UK

Q&A & Open discussion

Concluding comments

• Reinhard Palm, BMZ

Hinweis

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