Twenty years after the implementation of the Special Autonomy Law (UU Otsus) No. 21 of 2001, Papua and West Papua remain the two provinces with the highest poverty rates and the lowest human development indices in Indonesia. Despite the affirmative policies mandated by UU Otsus for indigenous Papuans (OAP), disparities persist between OAP and non-OAP communities in various dimensions. This makes OAP the most vulnerable group facing the covariate shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020 and the ongoing conflicts. In this context, the role of social protection becomes crucial to enhance the resilience of OAP and prevent further vulnerability and marginalization.