Facing the Facts: Acknowledging the informal economy in anti-poverty policies and services

Most people who work informally are forced to do so to make ends meet rather than out of a desire to cheat the system. Yet by working in the informal economy, many become even more trapped in poverty.

Oxfam has undertaken research to explore why people work informally and the impact this has on their lives and communities. In sharing our findings, we hope to encourage policy-makers to take the reality of the informal economy into account in efforts to help people overcome poverty.