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Research Reports

Internal Migrants in the Informal Economy: COVID-19 Lessons

By , on May 27, 2021

Key findings and policy recommendations pertaining to internal migrants in the informal economy based on research undertaken as part of the COVID-19 Crisis and the Informal Economy study.

Between February and June 2020:
1. Migrant workers’ ability to work, particularly during the peak of the lockdown in April but also when restrictions had eased in June, was more restricted than that of local workers.
2. Compounding their inability to work, migrant workers were often prevented from accessing relief measures to help them cope during the pandemic.
3. Limited social inclusion and a lack of family networks posed barriers for migrant workers for receiving informal help, including with child care and economic hardship, during the crisis.

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Citation Information

Ismail, Ghida, and Valdivia, Marcela. Internal Migrants in the Informal Economy: COVID-19 Lessons. Policy Insights No. 6, , . WIEGO, 2021. https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PolicyInsights6.pdfIsmail, G., and Valdivia, M. (2021). Internal Migrants in the Informal Economy: COVID-19 Lessons. Policy Insights No. 6, , . https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PolicyInsights6.pdfIsmail, Ghida, and Valdivia, Marcela. "Internal Migrants in the Informal Economy: COVID-19 Lessons." Policy Insights No. 6, WIEGO, 2021, .Ismail Ghida, and Valdivia Marcela. "Internal Migrants in the Informal Economy: COVID-19 Lessons." Policy Insights No. 6 (2021). https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PolicyInsights6.pdfIsmail, G, and Valdivia, M 2021, 'Internal Migrants in the Informal Economy: COVID-19 Lessons', Policy Insights No. 6, , . https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PolicyInsights6.pdfGhida Ismail, and Marcela Valdivia, 'Internal Migrants in the Informal Economy: COVID-19 Lessons' (2021) Policy Insights No. 6 Ismail G., and Valdivia M. Internal Migrants in the Informal Economy: COVID-19 Lessons. Policy Insights No. 6. 2021. https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PolicyInsights6.pdfIsmail, Ghida, and Valdivia, Marcela. Internal Migrants in the Informal Economy: COVID-19 Lessons. Policy Insights No. 6. 2021. , . https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PolicyInsights6.pdf

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WIEGO is at the forefront of developing statistics and research to help audiences understand the informal economy. Our library includes over two decades-worth of informal economy research, policy analysis, statistics and documentation of organizing efforts.