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Working Paper 95 of the UNU WIDER Working Paper Series .
Uncertain Times The global economic crisis that rocked the world in 2008 led to increased financial hardship for informal workers, most of whom already lived in precarious circumstances. Here is a sampling of their stories, told during 2009 and 2010. Pushpaben Kishorkumar Kapani, Diamond Polishing...
The relationship between informality and poverty, inequality, and economic growth is complex. This section of the website explores what is known about these relationships. Links with Poverty There is significant overlap between working in the informal economy and being poor. This sub-section...
How much and in what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth? Or does the informal economy account for low productivity and low growth? Does the size of the informal economy shrink during economic growth and expand during economic slumps or downturns? Is it, in other words...
When economic crises cause job losses in the formal economy, more people become employed in the informal economy to survive. For example, recent estimates by the International Labour Organization (ILO) suggest informal employment in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, and Peru increased from 52.9 per...
Diagrams reveal a hierarchy of earnings and poverty risk across various segments of the labour force. Average earnings are lower and the risk of poverty is higher among all women workers in the informal economy compared to all men workers within the informal economy.
In early 2009, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) of India, one of the partners in the Inclusive Cities project, conducted a study to assess the impact of the global recession on its membership.
Blogs: Informal economy workers tell of COVID-19 crucial issues Workers in the informal economy lost close to 80 per cent of their earnings as the pandemic took hold. This blog describes some of the most crucial issues workers faced during the pandemic, based on the interviews conducted for WIEGO’s...
English Español Français Organizações que representam mais de 2,1 milhões de trabalhadores informais de todo o mundo conclamam os governos para que acelerem os investimentos em proteções trabalhistas como um componente central dos planos de recuperação econômica. Nos lockdowns da COVID-19, há um ano...
Videos / Slideshows / Audio
Millions of women work long hours, in dangerous conditions, for little pay. They are fighting for change, with the help of ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers. Watch this video to learn how.
Workers Education/Organizing Materials
This manual helps street vendors learn more about the regulations that govern public space and how to defend the right to work in public space. It describes successful actions taken by street vendor organizations. And it offers information to help you organize and negotiate with local government.
WIEGO Working Papers
Mike Rogan reviews how informal workers are taxed, why there is growing interest in taxing them, and whether they should be included in the tax net.