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Driven by the exponential increase in the computational power of machines, data digitalization and scientific advancement in robotics and automation, the current wave of technological change is seemingly unprecedented in speed and scale. It transforms manufacturing and businesses making them more flexible, decentralized and efficient (Lasi et al. 2014). Even though technological change is nothing new, some argue that it is different this time. The new technologies have not only the potential to substitute labor (Nomaler and Verspagen 2018), they also change the way people work. The trend towards new forms of employment is no longer a marginal phenomenon.

Policy analysis is the cornerstone of evidence-based policy making. The complexity of the political and socio-economic web in which social protection operates makes it a daunting task to deduce its impact or outcomes. Hence, indicators, databases and data sources used to measure and analyse the impact of social protection interventions have to reflect this complexity to effectively convey their impact. This chapter takes stock of conceptual frameworks, methods, databases and indicators used to evaluate social protection performance. It establishes the role of performance measurement in social protection taking and discusses the challenges of current databases and indicators in effectively measuring the performance of social protection systems.

In recent years, there has been growing interest to extend social protection coverage to people working in the informal economy. Informal economy workers constitute substantial workforce in most countries and form a base for most economies. However, they are largely excluded from formal social protection coverage. Reasons for exclusion include inadequate legal coverage, lack of compliance and adequate monitoring mechanisms, lack of knowledge about social protection, high contribution rates, unattractive benefit package and mistrust. There are a range of policy options and modes of delivery that can be used to extend coverage. Coverage for informal economy workers in social protection is important. Contributions, benefit package and vesting period should all be tailored to attract people in the informal economy, according to each country setting, in order to protect people from social and economic risks. publishedVersion