Implementation of Indonesia’s Social Protection Programs in the Period 2015–2025

This study examines the implementation of Indonesia’s social protection programs during the period 2015–2025, with the aim of advancing understanding of how implementation quality and system-level dynamics shape program effectiveness beyond formal policy design. Drawing on qualitative survey data and multiple case studies, the paper contributes to the social protection literature by adopting a systems-oriented and implementation-centered analytical framework. The study identifies persistent challenges related to targeting accuracy, uneven local administrative capacity, and fragmentation across programs, while also highlighting adaptive responses during crisis periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings show that implementation quality is a stronger determinant of outcomes than program design alone. These results imply that future social protection reforms should prioritize system coherence, data governance, and sub-national capacity building to enhance equity, resilience, and long-term impact