Hong Kong, 18 July 2026 — Retna Hanani, S.Sos., MPP., a lecturer in the Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Diponegoro, presented her research at the 2026 East Asian Social Policy Annual Conference. Held on 17–18 July 2026 at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, the conference carried the theme “Social Policy in Asia in Times of Multiple Disruptions.”
Her paper, “From Frontline Work to Digital Welfare: Enumerators, Discretion, and the Digitalization of Social Protection in Indonesia,” examines how Indonesia’s digital welfare transformation is reshaping the role of frontline workers in determining access to social protection programmes.
The study finds that integrated digital systems do not eliminate human discretion. Enumerators, village officials, and social facilitators continue to interpret complex household circumstances and translate them into standardised administrative categories. They also mediate tensions between data-driven decisions, limitations within digital systems, and local understandings of fairness and deservingness.
“Digitalisation can improve the efficiency and consistency of welfare targeting. However, technology cannot completely replace contextual knowledge and human judgement, particularly when administrative data fail to capture rapid changes in people’s socioeconomic circumstances,” Retna explained.
Her participation was supported through Universitas Diponegoro’s International Academic Networking initiative under its World Class University programme. In addition to disseminating research findings, the conference provided opportunities to exchange ideas and develop academic networks with social policy scholars from Asia and other regions.
The discussions highlighted the need for governments to treat digital welfare systems not merely as technical infrastructure but as part of a broader social and institutional process. Accurate and accountable welfare provision therefore requires both reliable technology and meaningful mechanisms through which citizens and frontline workers can correct inaccurate or outdated information.
Feedback received during the conference will inform the further development of the article before its submission to an international journal. This participation is expected to strengthen UNDIP’s contribution to international debates on digital transformation, social policy, and the protection of vulnerable populations across Asia.