Empowering People for Inclusive Growth: The Perspective of the Working Poor in the Informal Economy

Concept Note for High Level Panel at European Development Days, written by Henrik Huitfeldt of the European Commission and Marty Chen of the WIEGO Network.

Objectives of the panel:

This high-level panel of academics, policy-makers and practitioners aimed to take stock on the diversity in the informal economy and to further discuss needs and challenges of informal workers and which policies would be needed to create better opportunities for development for the workers in the informal economy.

Major questions discussed included:

•    Why is informality increasing worldwide despite positive economic growth developments? How can growth processes become more inclusive, incorporating also the working poor in the informal economy?
•     Who are the working poor in the informal economy and which are the main challenges that they are facing?
•    How can policies be designed to respond to the needs and challenges of the working poor in the informal economy?
•    What could be the role of the development policy to support empowerment of the working poor? How can their voice be strengthened?