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Employment conditions are important social and commercial determinants of health. Informal employment-also known as 'cash-in-hand' and 'undeclared' work-is a discrete employment condition that has salience around the world. Fuelled by neoliberal ideology, informal employment has become increasingly common in high-income countries. Public health research concerning the health of informal workers comes largely from low- and middle-income countries, where the phenomenon is more visible. There has been little research on the health effects of informal employment in high-income countries including Australia. Twenty-nine workers aged 18 years and older, who were undertaking informal work activities, were recruited using social media and an online marketplace in Tarndanya (Adelaide-Kaurna Country), Australia. Qualitative narrative data, demographic profiles, and physical and mental health scores were collected. Most informal workers reported unfair and indecent employment conditions including job insecurity, low income, coercion, and lack of respect and dignity at work, and were often exposed to unsafe and unhealthy work environments. Workplace injuries and exposure to occupational hazards were common; and Physical and Mental Component Scores were poorer among informal workers when compared to the population of South Australia as a whole. With informal employment in Australia described as part of a 'significant, pervasive, damaging and growing' problem, there is a need for a health promotion lens over industrial relations policies in the interest of creating equitable access to fair and decent work., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Background: Rates of exclusive breastfeeding fall below recommended levels, particularly among women in paid employment. In Mexico, more than half of women are in informal employment, meaning they lack many of the protections that may support breastfeeding., Methods: In-depth interviews with 15 key informants representing government agencies (n = 6 organizations), NGOs (n = 4), international organizations (n = 2), and academia (n = 2) in Mexico. Interviews were conducted between March and June 2023. To understand and describe barriers to breastfeeding among informally employed women in Mexico according to key informants and the current and potential policies to address these barriers, we conducted a qualitative thematic analysis., Results: Current policies to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding predominantly apply to all employed women, but respondents expressed concern that they did not provide adequate protection for women in informal employment. Additional themes concerned the need for relevant programs to be institutionalized and coordinated, discussions of breastfeeding as a right, and the legal equivalence (whether true in practice or not) of formal and informal workers., Conclusions: Women employed in Mexico's informal sector face a dearth of maternity protections. According to key informants, few policies exist to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding among employed women, in general, but the economic vulnerability and challenging working conditions of women in informal employment exacerbates their situation. The lack of access to formal labor protections, such as paid maternity leave, creates a significant barrier to breastfeeding for women in the informal sector. Recommendations include short-term policies to fill gaps in social protection for informally employed women, as well as longer-term solutions such as the development of universal social protection programs and supporting formalization., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Mental health problems disproportionately affect young people in developing countries. However, there is limited research on help-seeking behaviours and the social support systems that improve mental wellbeing among vulnerable youth populations., Objective: This mixed-methods study aimed to examine the relationship between social support reciprocity and mental health among young informal construction workers in Nigeria, a population at high-risk for occupational and socioeconomic stressors., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 686 informal workers to measure reciprocity, mental health-related quality of life, and covariates. In-depth interviews with 32 participants provided qualitative context., Results: Quantitative analyses showed 25% of participants reported poor mental health. Reciprocity positively predicted mental health after controlling for covariates. Qualitative findings revealed reciprocity occurs directly between individuals as well as indirectly through trade unions and religious groups. Indirect exchanges through groups helped address limitations of direct support due to limited resources., Conclusions: This study fills important gaps in understanding how social relationships impact mental health in developing country contexts. Findings emphasize the role of collective action and community-based support systems in promoting mental wellbeing among vulnerable populations. Insights can inform culturally relevant, systems-level mental health interventions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Although considerable discussion has been devoted to the macro determinants of labor market variables across genders, comparatively little attention has been given to the contribution of the informal economy to this market. This study was aimed at empirically investigating the impact of the size of the shadow or informal economy (IE) on labor market variables across genders in 12 Middle Eastern countries. The study used quarterly time series data on each country under investigation, covering 1991 to 2015. Phillips-Perron unit root tests were carried out to verify the stationarity of the examined economic series. An autoregressive distributed lag approach was adopted to conduct cointegration tests and estimate long-run regression coefficients and error correction terms. The results indicated that the IE served men and women differently across countries. Whereas this economy had a long-run positive relationship with men's employment rates in Bahrain, Iran, Qatar, and Turkey, this relationship existed among women only in Israel. IE activities matter in the employment of men and women in Middle Eastern countries. The sizes of IEs in the labor market are a significant factor that favors men's employment rather than that of women., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The transition towards a circular economy, which has emerged as a promising approach to achieving sustainable development and which involves the reuse of e-waste, may cause significant social impacts on vulnerable groups if it is not addressed in a proper manner. The European Union has established a clear circular economy plan with particular attention on e-waste treatment. However, a considerable amount of e-waste still ends up outside Europe, mainly in African Countries. Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) has been recognized as a valid methodology to assess the social impacts caused by products or services to stakeholders involved along the life cycle perspective. Most S-LCA studies are conducted in the formal sector; however, informal sectors constitute a crucial element of the economy in emerging and developing countries. In particular, formal waste management practices are complemented by the informal sector in Indonesia, African and Latin American countries. The informal sector represents an important support element. Few studies have been conducted on the social impacts of the e-waste sector and even fewer have been implemented following the guidelines of Social Life Cycle Assessment for Products and Organizations. However, we are still far from a complete overview of the social impacts in the e-waste sector, in particular for developing countries. Knowing that most e-waste through illegal exportation ends up in African countries, a social hotspot analysis has been conducted on the electronic sector in African countries, focusing on Nigeria and Ghana, which are the most affected. The study also identifies a set of indicators needed to assess the social performance of e-waste in Nigeria and Ghana., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: [Marzia Traverso reports financial support and administrative support were provided by RWTH Aachen University.]., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

In developing countries, informal sector is the primary job provider for a significant portion of the workforce. This study aims to analyze how jobs in the informal sector affect the unemployment dynamics of developing nations. To achieve this goal, we formulate a nonlinear mathematical model by categorizing the considered workforce into three distinct classes: unemployed, employed, and self-employed, and include a separate dynamic variable to represent vacancies within the informal sector. The proposed model is analyzed using the qualitative theory of dynamical systems. A threshold quantity known as the reproduction number is derived and using this, one can compute the job generation rate necessary to stabilize the system. It is observed that variations in the reproduction number lead to qualitative changes, such as transcritical (forward or backward) and saddle-node bifurcations in the formulated system. Moreover, we propose an optimal control problem to determine an optimal strategy for government policy implementation in enhancing the employment rate of unemployed individuals and promoting the self-employment of informal employees inside the informal sector. Further, the analytical findings are validated numerically. The obtained results suggest that promoting the self-employment of informal employees for job generation effectively reduces unemployment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: Education is crucial for empowering women in the labour market. However, the choice of occupation may not always necessarily be determined by their level of education., Objective: The present study seeks to answer two important questions: (1) Does education help in determining occupational choices of women working in the informal sector? (2) How do factors like number of dependents in the family, woman staying with family, migration status of a woman and the use of networks in the job-search process, affect the occupational choices of women working in the informal sector?, Method: The study utilised the data collected from 476 women, working in the urban informal sector of three northern States of India. We have estimated multinomial Probit model to analyse the data., Results: This paper argues that education level cannot be the sole premise for a woman to have a better occupational choice within the informal sector. Other factors play a relatively significant role in determining the choice of occupation by a woman., Conclusion: Working women in the urban informal sector have less autonomy in the choice of their occupation and the education levels alone cannot help in providing access to more hygienic, career enriching and well-paying options to them.

It is well known that informal workers in developing countries are exposed to occupational health problems (OHPs), and they work unsafely. However, little is known about how their religious beliefs influence their safety behavior at the workplace. This study explores the interaction between the automobile artisans' religious beliefs and their workplace safety behavior. Forty three male artisans (either Christian: n = 17; or Muslim: n = 26) were purposively interviewed. Even though their religious teachings are against risk-taking, the artisans took risks at their workplace. Specific programs like seminars and various outreaches for workers in religious settings influence their perception of OHP prevention. Religious organizations have a role to play in OHP prevention., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The transition towards Circular Economy (CE) is a promising approach to sustainable development that may cause significant social impacts. Despite the benefits of CE initiatives, key players such as informal recyclers face serious social issues such as poverty, lack of social security, and discrimination. Although evaluating social impacts remains a considerable challenge, Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) is recognized as a suitable methodology with a life cycle perspective. While most SLCA experiences are conducted in the formal sector, it is important to consider the informal sector, which plays a crucial role in developing countries. This article presents an analysis of SLCA studies in informal recycling settings in order to identify the challenges and adjustments required for informal settings. The analysis is based on a literature review and a documentary review of a pilot application of SLCA in the informal recycling system in Cuenca, Ecuador. The results show that SLCA requires adaptation to be applied in informal settings. There are particular challenges in delineating boundaries due to the fuzzy nature and variability of informal activities. Tasks such as establishing specific indicators, developing reference scales and data collection, require careful planning and active stakeholder participation. For instance, indicators regarding Fair Salary or Working hours were adapted based on best practices. Furthermore, tasks such as verifying and disseminating results should be included in interpretation phases to generate long-term impacts and influence behaviors. The study underscores SLCA's multidimensional view but highlights the need for further standardization and adaptation for informal sectors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Dolores Sucozhanay reports financial support was provided by VLIR-UOS., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study aims to evaluated the effectiveness of participatory action-oriented training (PAOT) intervention for hypertension management among intercity van drivers., Material and Methods: This quasi-experimental study applied concept and process of participatory actionoriented training and self-management to guide the development of the intervention addressing improvement in hypertension management behaviors. A total of 104 intercity van drivers with uncontrolled hypertension in Thailand were recruited to participate in this program. The intervention group (N = 52) received PAOT program, while the control group (N = 52) received conventional program. Data on hypertension management behaviors, and blood pressure were measured at baseline, 1 month and 3 months after intervention., Results: At 3 months after intervention, hypertension management behavior, and systolic blood pressure were significantly different between 2 groups (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: This PAOT was found to be feasible and could potentially improve hypertension management, and blood pressure level of intercity van drivers. The program should be applied in further studies with other workplaces in both formal and informal sectors with different characteristics and other health issues. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(2):194-204., (This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.)

Introduction: Little is known on the association between cross-shift changes in pulmonary function and personal inhalation exposure to particulate matter (PM) among informal electronic-waste (e-waste) recovery workers who have substantial occupational exposure to airborne pollutants from burning e-waste., Methods: Using a cross-shift design, pre- and post-shift pulmonary function assessments and accompanying personal inhalation exposure to PM (sizes <1, <2.5 μm, and the coarse fraction, 2.5-10 μm in aerodynamic diameter) were measured among e-waste workers ( n = 142) at the Agbogbloshie e-waste site and a comparison population ( n = 65) in Accra, Ghana during 2017 and 2018. Linear mixed models estimated associations between percent changes in pulmonary function and personal PM., Results: Declines in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) per hour were not significantly associated with increases in PM (all sizes) among either study population, despite breathing zone concentrations of PM (all sizes) that exceeded health-based guidelines in both populations. E-waste workers who worked "yesterday" did, however, have larger cross-shift declines in FVC [-2.4% (95%CI: -4.04%, -0.81%)] in comparison to those who did not work "yesterday," suggesting a possible role of cumulative exposure., Discussion: Overall, short-term respiratory-related health effects related to PM exposure among e-waste workers were not seen in this sample. Selection bias due to the "healthy worker" effect, short shift duration, and inability to capture a true "pre-shift" pulmonary function test among workers who live at the worksite may explain results and suggest the need to adapt cross-shift studies for informal settings., Competing Interests: The authors declare that this study received funding from the Dow Chemical Company Foundation through the Dow Sustainability Fellows Program at the University of Michigan. The funder was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article or the decision to submit it for publication., (Copyright © 2024 Laskaris, O'Neill, Batterman, Mukherjee, Fobil and Robins.)

Globally, there are 2 billion 'informal' workers, who lack access to social protection while facing profound health risks and socioeconomic exclusions. The informal economy has generated most jobs in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), but few studies have explored informal workers' complex health vulnerabilities, including in the face of climate change. This paper will discuss recent action-research in Indore (India), Harare, and Masvingo (Zimbabwe) with informal workers like vendors, waste-pickers, and urban farmers. We conducted qualitative interviews (N = 110 in India), focus group discussions (N = 207 in Zimbabwe), and a quantitative survey (N = 418 in Zimbabwe). Many informal workers live in informal settlements ('slums'), and we highlight the interrelated health risks at their homes and workplaces. We explore how climate-related threats-including heatwaves, drought, and floods-negatively affect informal workers' health and livelihoods. These challenges often have gender-inequitable impacts. We also analyse workers' individual and collective responses. We propose a comprehensive framework to reveal the drivers of health in the informal economy, and we complement this holistic approach with a new research agenda. Our framework highlights the socioeconomic, environmental, and political determinants of informal workers' health. We argue that informal workers may face difficult trade-offs, due to competing priorities in the face of climate change and other risks. Future interventions will need to recognise informal workers' array of risks and co-develop multifaceted solutions, thereby helping to avoid such impossible choices. We recommend holistic initiatives to foster health and climate resilience, as well as participatory action-research partnerships and qualitative, intersectional data-collection with informal workers., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

In the Maldives, the contribution of the informal sector to e-waste management is significant as a formal e-waste management system is not yet established. The opportunities for advancing the circular economy in the Maldives' e-waste sector rely on the possibility of its formalization. This study aimed to examine the current and anticipated situations of e-waste management in the Greater Malé Region of the Maldives, with a specific focus on formalizing the informal sector. Interviews and questionnaire-based surveys were conducted followed by statistical analysis of the data. The t-test performed for the consumer survey data (n = 202) suggests that formalization encourages consumers to engage with the informal sector, resulting in increased resource recovery. Thematic analysis of interviews conducted with both formal and informal sector stakeholders (n = 17) revealed that the informal sector plays a substantial role in managing e-waste. It also underscored the need for government assistance to enhance safety and productivity in this sector. Various opportunities and challenges for establishing a circular economy in the country were identified, such as the rise in e-waste generation, the presence of an active informal workforce, the lack of sufficient government support, and prevailing stereotypes among consumers regarding informal workers. These findings provide a fresh perspective on the solutions for waste management in the Maldives and open the door to further explore the significance of the informal sector and feasible formalization initiatives. This study could contribute to the literature on the role of the informal sector in waste management in the Maldives and other small island developing states., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Enrolment of informal sector workers in Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is critical to achieving increased risk-pooling and attainment of Universal Health Coverage. However, the NHIS has struggled over the years to improve enrolment of this subpopulation. This study analysed effect of social capital on enrolment of informal sector workers in the NHIS., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 528 members of hairdressers and beauticians, farmers, and commercial road transport drivers' groups. Descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, and multinomial logit regression model were used to analyse the data., Results: Social capital including membership in occupational group, trust, and collective action were significantly associated with enrolment in the NHIS, overall. Other factors such as household size, education, ethnicity, and usual source of health care were, however, correlated with both enrolment and dropout. Notwithstanding these factors, the chance of enrolling in the NHIS and staying active was 44.6% higher for the hairdressers and beauticians; the probability of dropping out of the scheme was 62.9% higher for the farmers; and the chance of never enrolling in the scheme was 22.3% higher for the commercial road transport drivers., Conclusions: Social capital particularly collective action and predominantly female occupational groups are key determinants of informal sector workers' participation in the NHIS. Policy interventions to improve enrolment of this subpopulation should consider group enrolment, targeting female dominated informal sector occupational groups. Further studies should consider inclusion of mediating and moderating variables to provide a clearer picture of the relationship between occupational group social capital and enrolment in health insurance schemes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To compare the direct and indirect medical costs for patients with suspected Lyme borreliosis according to whether or not they had used an informal care pathway., Patients and Methods: We retraced the care pathways of participating patients by a prospective questionnaire survey and a retrospective analysis of care records. Direct and indirect costs were estimated using a micro-costing method from different perspectives. We compared the costs of patients who had consulted a "Lyme Doctor" (informal care pathway) with those who had only used the formal care pathway. Non-parametric tests were appraised the significance of the differences between the two groups of patients., Results: Out of 103 eligible patients, 49 (including 12 having used an informal health care pathway) agreed to be investigated. Five expenditure items entirely borne by patients were significantly higher for patients following an informal care pathway: productivity loss (3041 ± 6580 vs 194 ± 1177 euros, p = 0.01), alternative therapies (3484 ± 7308 vs 369 ± 956 euros), biological tests sent abroad (571 ± 1415 vs 17 ± 92 euros, p < 0.01), self-medication (918 ± 1998 vs 133 ± 689, p = 0.02) and transport (3 094 ± 3456 vs 1 123 ± 1903p = 0.01)., Conclusions: From the patient's standpoint, the informal care pathway involving consultation with a Lyme Doctor is far more expensive than the formal care pathway. More specifically, the patient has to bear the costs of alternative treatments and repeated, non-recommended examinations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objectives . The informal economy in Tanzania, as in many other developing countries, presents numerous workplace safety issues. This study was conducted in stone quarrying (SQ) and soil brickmaking (SBM) sites to assess workers' awareness and perceptions of safety practices, identify common workplace risks and hazards, and evaluate challenges hindering the implementation of workplace safety culture. Methods. A total of 173 workers responded to a semi-structured questionnaire and 15 workers were interviewed. Data were summarized using Stata (version 15). Results . More than 95% of the SQ and SBM workers were exposed to ergonomic hazards and related health risks, due to low awareness (90%) and unavailable leadership structures (>96%) for enforcing and overseeing the implementation of workplace occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations. Conclusion . Due to the lack of regulation and oversight, workers in the informal sector in Tanzania often face hazardous conditions that put their health and safety at risk. Workers use self-intuitions, observations, injuries and near miss incidences to improvise control measures and minimize hazardous risks. This study provides baseline information that can be used for evidence-based decision-making and policy formulation to safeguard workers' safety and health in the informal sectors of Tanzania.

Introduction: Although studies about informal work have been carried out, there is still little evidence that explains, from the workers' perspective, what pressures they receive and generate due to the use of public space, and how these pressures affect their health., Objectives: To explore, from the point of view of a group of informal workers from the downtown Medellin, the environmental and social pressures that they receive and generate from the use of the territory, as well as the effects that these pressures may have on their life and health conditions., Methods: Ethnographic tools were used for field work and grounded theory for data analysis. Twelve informal street vendors workers were selected through theoretical sampling, with whom in-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted, after obtaining consent from the verbal and written process. Interviews and focus groups were transcribed verbatim, with the help of janitors and informants. The results were discussed and validated with the workers, and the information was triangulated with the researchers. Open and axial coding was used for data analysis., Results: The environmental and social pressures that these workers receive and generate in the streets and sidewalks of the city led them to experience critical situations in their working conditions, partly derived from the conflict that occurs over the use of the territory with the different actors in the downtown area, a situation that directly affects workers' physical and mental conditions, their life, and their work., Conclusions: The conflicts generated by the use of the territory as a workplace imply that workers have hostile relationships in their daily lives. However, these conflicts could be resolved with actions of the State and the participation of workers., Competing Interests: Conflictos de interés: No

Background: Most Togolese population earns their income from informal sector, and they are very often exposed to health outcomes. Cash transfers impact healthcare utilization by improving household's social capital, socio-economic status, lifestyle choice, and physical health. The aim of this paper was to analyse the impact of unconditional cash transfers on health care utilisation in informal sector households., Methods: We used the propensity-score method to compare health care utilisation by households that received cash transfers from nonbeneficiary households and simulated a potential confounder to assess the robustness of the impacts of the estimated treatment (i.e., cash transfer). Data were obtained from a national survey that covered 1405 households., Results: The results show that women benefited the most from cash transfers (73.1%). Our estimates indicate that health care utilisation increased by 28.3% among workers in the informal sectors who benefited from unconditional cash transfers compared to nonbeneficiaries. The greatest impact was found on agriculture households with an increase by 31.3% in the health care utilisation. In general, cash transfer beneficiaries are more likely to use public health centres; there was an increase in public health facility attendance of 21.3%., Conclusions: Cash transfers are a valuable social protection instrument that improve health care utilisation of populations in the informal sector. Policymakers could use cash transfer as the infusion of income and/or assets that may impact health outcomes. Cash transfers are an opportunity to alleviate barriers of access to health care by older people. Future research must examine impact of cash transfer on health of vulnerable groups such as older people, children, and people with disabilities., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This study was conducted in 15 artisanal stone quarries (SQ) and 22 soil brick-making (SBM) sites. Specific objectives were to: (i) quantify ambient concentrations of suspended particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants and noise levels at SQ and SBM workplaces; (ii) critically evaluate the potential workplace hazards, and risk factors; and (iii) analyze potential health risks to workers. Gaseous pollutants, PM, and noise levels were measured by using portable digital devices. Social demographic information of 150 workers across the study sites was collected using a questionnaire. Quantitative data were summarized and exploratorily analyzed using Stata software. This study revealed that fuel burning in the SBM releases SPM up to 10-fold and CO gas up to 14-fold above the WHO-recommended time-weighted average exposure concentrations of 16.6 µg/m 3 and 0.3 mg/m 3 , respectively. On average hitting with a pickax in SQ areas released noise levels of about 81.01 ± 6.8 dB[A]. Overall, the SQ and SBM workers were exposed to low concentrations of PM and noise levels when the measurements were taken. Long working hours for repetitive activities in hot-sunny (27.1 ± 2.3 °C) and low outdoor humidity 23 ± 1.5%, potentially increase epidemiological risks to vulnerable individuals and enhance worker exposures to inhalable PMs. Although workplace noise exposure below the regulatory threshold of 85 dB[A] may not cause immediate hearing damage, it can have a significant impact on workers' hearing health, cognitive performance, psychological well-being, and overall productivity. This study provides an overview of workplace conditions rather than an accurate representation of the actual worker exposure levels because personal breathing zone sampling devices were not used. This study provides baseline information for further research and can be used for evidence-based decision-making and policy formulation to safeguard worker safety and health in SQ and SBM sites in Tanzania.

Promoting decent work and sustainable economic growth within the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8) entails addressing gender inequality, the consequences of market economies, and the role of the informal sector while also considering environmental sustainability. Research on SDG 8 remains limited, often adopting an appraisal perspective, and the concept of decent work within this goal remains relatively unexplored. Additionally, the focus on the challenges and inadequacies of achieving sustainable economic growth through decent work in the context of SDG 8 is insufficient, resulting in significant knowledge gaps. To contribute to filling these gaps, this paper adopts a descriptive and critical review perspective, systematically analyzing 108 journal papers and reports to investigate the concept of decent work within SDG 8. The research addresses the challenges and inadequacies related to decent work embedded in SDG 8. The review reveals that while progress has been made in tackling gender inequality in the labor market, gender bias, income discrepancies, and underrepresentation of women in senior positions persist, hindering inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all - SDG 8. Moreover, SDG 8's focus on inclusive and sustainable development falls short of effectively addressing market economies' structural disparities, insecure working conditions, and exploitative labor practices. Additionally, support for informal sector workers, who lack essential rights such as legal protection and social security, remains insufficient. Ecological destruction is sometimes an unintended consequence of purely market-based labor markets with an emphasis on economic growth, with SDG 8 lacking sufficient integration of environmental sustainability in its framework. The novelty of this study comes from its in-depth, critical, and policy-focused analysis of the ideas around decent employment in the context of SDG 8. The findings underscore the importance of providing fair, safe, and secure employment opportunities to support economic growth and development while upholding workers' rights. In conclusion, we emphasize the crucial role of promoting decent work and sustainable growth in achieving SDG 8's overall objectives, as it directly impacts other SDGs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Chigbu and Nekhwevha.)

In order to reduce environmental deterioration and promote sustainable growth, green innovation-which includes ecologically friendly technology and practices-has become a top priority of policymakers worldwide. This research investigates how formal and informal finance affects green innovation in highly polluted high, middle-, and low-income economies, using data spanning from 2007 to 2021. For analyzing the empirical link between formal finance, informal finance, and green innovation, we have employed the 2SLS and GMM estimation techniques. The primary estimates of the analysis suggest that formal and informal funding methods significantly impact environment-related technologies in high-income and middle- and low-income nations. Moreover, the GDP, carbon emissions, trade openness, human capital, research and development, financial stability, and digital finance are essential factors in promoting environment-related technologies in high-, middle-, and low-income nations, respectively. The policymakers in both groups of countries should foster collaboration between the formal and informal sectors to promote green innovations, which is essential for achieving sustainable development goals., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: informal sector carpenters in Douala, Cameroon, face potential risks to their respiratory health due to daily exposure to fine particles and wood dust. The study aims to demonstrate the importance of preventing respiratory problems in this population through regular use of filtering face pieces (FFP3) respiratory masks., Methods: the before-after study involved 37 carpenters who wore FFP3 masks during their professional activities for five months. Spirometry measurements were taken before and after the intervention to assess changes in respiratory function., Results: significant improvements were observed in forced vital capacity (FVC) 89.6 % to 95.0 % (p<0.000), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 88.1 % to 95.0 % (p<0.000), Tiffeneau index 82.4 to 84.9 (p<0.000), and peak expiratory flow (PEF) 6.7 l/s to 7.9 l/s (p<0.000) after mask usage, indicating enhanced lung function., Conclusion: the regular use of FFP3 masks had a positive impact on the respiratory health of informal sector carpenters in Douala, enhancing lung function and reducing airway obstruction. The study highlights the importance of preventive measures to safeguard the respiratory well-being of workers exposed to occupational hazards. Spell out Greek characters (i.e: alpha, beta)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest., (Copyright: Catherine Bouland et al.)

Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are struggling to expand voluntary health insurance schemes to raise finances toward achieving universal health coverage. With more than three-quarters of the population without any insurance, the government of Tanzania has unsuccessfully tried to pass a Bill proposing a mandatory, nationwide scheme to cover the large and diverse informal sector. The Bill proposed an annual premium of ∼150 USD for a household of six or 65 USD per person. Studies in Tanzania and Kenya have shown that the majority of people in the informal sector are unwilling and unable to pay premiums as low as 4 USD, mostly due to poverty. Mandatory health insurance for the informal sector is not common in this region, mostly because it is difficult to enforce. Successful insurance schemes have included significant subsidies from tax revenues. Tanzania should not seek to raise funds for health through an unenforceable insurance scheme but rather should consider a largely tax-funded scheme for the informal sector. Contributions through low-cost voluntary schemes can enhance social contracts, reduce out-of-pocket expenditure, and promote efficient utilization. In addition, progressive health taxes should be imposed on harmful products (tobacco, alcohol, sugary drinks, etc.) to raise more funds while addressing the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, efficiency in the use of scarce health resources should be promoted through realistic prioritization of public services, the use of Health Technology Assessment, and strategic purchasing., Competing Interests: The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationship that could be constructed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2023 Mori.)

Objective: We examine the socioeconomic and health drivers of retirement decisions and compare these determinants between formal and informal sector workers in Mexico., Materials and Methods: Using data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study 2012 and 2015, we estimate conditional probit models of retirement using sociodemographic, health, health care utilization, health insurance, private pensions, and social security systems covariates. The Institutional Review Board at the University of Southern California reviewed and approved the research (IRB # UP-15-00023)., Results: We find that the social security systems are an important determinant for retirement age for formal sector workers. The informal sector workers, who lack access to retirement benefits of the social security system, make retirement decisions mainly based on health and access to health insurance through social security., Conclusion: Despite the lack of access to social security benefits, informal sector workers do not respond strongly to socioeconomic factors in determining the timing of retirement. Strengthening access to better health care services could improve health, extend working lives, and promote healthy aging for workers in the informal sector.

Background: Ethiopia has implemented a community-based health insurance (CBHI) program to provide coverage to 80% of the population and shield underprivileged individuals from the detrimental effects of exorbitant medical expenses. However, there is a paucity of data regarding its utilization and pertinent concerns. This study aimed to evaluate the utilization of CBHI and its associated factors among informal workers in Berek District., Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between June 15 and July 15, 2022. The sample population comprised 538 households selected using a multistage sampling approach. Data analysis was done using SPSS Version 26. Variables with P-values of less than 0.25 during the bivariate analysis were selected for multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression. The statistical significance threshold was set at a p-value of 0.05., Results: The utilization of Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) was 49.8%. Age between 30 and 39 years, monthly earnings of less than 1500 Ethiopian Birr, presence of chronic illness, membership in social organization, and possessing adequate knowledge were found to have a statistically significant association with the use of CBHI., Conclusion: The utilization of CBHI was low within the confines of this district Age, income, social group membership, and chronic illnesses were significantly associated with CBHI utilization., (© 2023 Tilahun Deresse, et al.)

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are a major health issue for low-income countries because of their high prevalence among workers and on account of the scarcity of ergonomic preventative measures in the workplace., Objectives: To determine the prevalence of WRMSDs among weavers, assess their consequences, and analyse the associated occupational risk factors., Method: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 257 handloom weavers using the Nordic questionnaireand the working conditions were assessed through a descriptive analysis using the key indicator method., Results: The WRMSDs annual prevalence was 85% in all parts of the body, 71% for the low back region, 41% for the shoulders, and 37% for the knees. One quarter of the weavers indicated having stopped work for 1-30 days because of their low back pain (LBP). The prevalence of WRMSDs was associated with the number of hours worked per day, the years of experience, and age. Long working hours, load carrying (> 20 kg - 25 kg), awkward postures, repetitive limb movements, and unfavourable environmental conditions were identified as occupational risk factors., Conclusion: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are common among weavers and LBP is the most frequently cited disorder and the primary reason for work interruptions and a decrease of activities. The prevalence of WRMSDs is associated with professional and personal factors. Actions based on ergonomic rules are necessary to prevent WRMSDs., Clinical Implications: Our study highlights the issue of WRMSDs and the need for prevention in the informal sector, which constitutes the major part of economic activity in low-income countries., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article, (© 2023. The Authors.)

Promoting the use of assistive technology (AT) is crucial for the health and well-being of users, but there is a huge global problem of unmet need for AT. In this context informal (unregulated) providers of AT play a significant role of meeting AT user need, particularly in less-resourced settings. This study draws on research into formal and informal AT provision in low-income urban communities in Indonesia and Sierra Leone to explore the potential of informal providers in addressing unmet need. Specifically, it looks at the different performance of formal and informal providers regarding the availability and the adequacy of AT that they provide. The study concludes by proposing further research into the scope for coproduction of AT between formal and informal providers., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Background: Zimbabwe's tax-based healthcare financing model has been characterised by perennial financing deficits and widespread application of user fees and has thus been socially exclusive. The country's urban informal sector population is not spared from these challenges. The study explored the potential demand for National Health Insurance (NHI) among respondents from selected urban informal sector clusters of Harare. The following clusters were targeted: Glenview furniture complex, Harare home industries, Mupedzanhamo flea market, Mbare new wholesale market and Mbare retail market., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 388 respondents from the selected clusters, and data on the determinants of Willingness to Join (WTJ) and Willingness to Pay (WTP) was gathered. Respondents were recruited via a multi-stage sampling procedure. In the first stage, the five informal sector clusters were purposely selected. The second stage involved a proportional allocation of respondents by cluster size. Finally, based on the stalls allocated by municipal authorities in each area, respondents were selected using systematic sampling. The sampling interval (k) was determined by dividing the total number of allocated stalls in a cluster (N) by the sample size proportionate to that cluster (n). For each cluster, the first stall (respondent) was randomly chosen, and thereafter, a respondent from every 10th stall was selected and interviewed at their workplace. Contingent valuation was adopted to elicit WTP. Logit models and interval regression were applied for the econometric analyses., Results: A total of 388 respondents participated in the survey. The dominant informal sector activity among the surveyed clusters was the sale of clothing and shoes (39.2%), followed by the sale of agricultural products (27.1%). Concerning employment status, the majority were own-account workers (73.1%). Most of the respondents (84.8%) completed secondary school. On monthly income from informal sector activities, the highest frequency (37.1%) was observed in the Zw$(1000 to <3000) or US$(28.57 to <85.71) category. The mean age of respondents was 36 years. Out of the 388 respondents, 325 (83.8%) were willing to join the proposed NHI scheme. WTJ was influenced by the following factors: health insurance awareness, health insurance perception, membership to a resource-pooling scheme, solidarity with the sick, and household recently experiencing difficulties paying for healthcare. On average, respondents were willing to pay Zw$72.13 (approximately US$2.06) per person per month. The key determinants of WTP were household size, respondent's education level, income, and health insurance perception., Conclusions: Since the majority of respondents from the sampled clusters were willing to join and pay for the contributory NHI scheme, it follows that there is potential to implement the scheme for the urban informal sector workers from the clusters studied. However, some issues require careful consideration. The informal sector workers need to be educated on the concept of risk pooling and the benefits of being members of an NHI scheme. Household size and income are factors that require special attention when deciding on the premiums for the scheme. Moreover, given that price instability hurts financial products such as health insurance, there is a need for ensuring macroeconomic stability., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Chipunza, Nhamo. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The closure of markets in the city of Ouagadougou due to COVID-19 pandemic has had consequences on the food security status of households, in particular households of informal sector. The objective of this paper is to analyze the effect of COVID-19 on households' likelihood to resort to food coping strategies taking into account their resilience capacities. A survey was carried out among 503 households of small traders in five markets in the city of Ouagadougou. This survey identified seven mutually inclusive food coping strategies which are endogenous and exogenous to households. Thus, the multivariate probit model was used to identify the factors explaining the adoption of these strategies. The results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on households' likelihood to use certain food coping strategies. Furthermore, the results show that assets and access to basic services is the main pillar of household resilience that reduces how likely a household resort to coping strategies due to COVID-19. Therefore, strengthening adaptive capacity and improving social security of households of informal sector are relevant., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© International Society for Plant Pathology and Springer Nature B.V. 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Background: Food insecurity indicates the difficulty of constantly obtaining adequate food because of limited economic resources. Food insecurity challenges the desired health outcomes. Although extensive literature has examined the associations between food security and health, low-wage informal sector workers have been less frequently addressed in this topic. The present study has focused on food insecurity among the workers working in the informal sector enterprises who experienced entrenched disadvantage during COVID-19 and examines the relationship between food insecurity and health status as measured by self-reported physical and mental health conditions., Methods: This study has utilized cross-sectional data collected from workers working in informal manufacturing and business enterprises in Dhaka city of Bangladesh. The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) with eight items is used to screen for food insecurity, and the Short Form 12v2 (SF12v2) scale with 12 questions, and validated for use with Bengali respondents, is used to measure the health status of the informal workers. A health production function has been constructed where the health status (both physical and mental) of workers is associated with food insecurity and other socio-economic and health care factors. Empirical analyses of the study have included descriptive statistics, mean score comparisons, and multivariate regression analyses to identify the predictive factors of the physical and mental health status of the workers., Results: A moderate to severe food insecurity is found to be responsible for the poor health status (both physical and mental) of the selected working group population. Moreover, age over 40 years, having a large family, dissatisfaction with the work place, and the prevalence of occupational health risks are linked to lower physical health, while dissatisfaction with the work place and the incidence of severe diseases contribute to poor mental health status along with food insecurity., Conclusions: Extending social and economic protection towards health coverage and basic consumption is suggested as an immediate action to save lives and ensure productivity of the informal workers. Besides, an increase in income and ensuring decent working conditions are also recommended for the health, safety and satisfaction of workers working in informal sector enterprises., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Lack of credibility and trust in fund managers has been highlighted as one of the key reasons why people do not join health insurance schemes in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Africa. This work investigates the impact of corruption on households' willingness to participate and pay for health insurance in Sierra Leone. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) method was used to elicit households' willingness to participate in a health insurance scheme with different attributes. The data were collected from 1458 representative households working in the informal sector of the Northern and Western regions. We explore the relationship between household characteristics and experienced (respectively, perceived) corruption with binary and ordered logit models. We use a Mixed Logit model to estimate the association between corruption and participation in a Health Insurance Scheme (HIS) and households' willingness to pay for a HIS. We find that corruption decreases participation in a public HIS and the willingness to pay for it. Our results highlight the perverse spillover effects of corruption. Not only does corruption hinder the effectiveness of healthcare systems and, thus, worsen health outcomes. It also undermines the willingness to pay for them, jeopardizing the sustainability of healthcare systems in the countries that need them most., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Jofre-Bonet et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had large negative effects on countries' economies and individual well-being throughout the world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Pandemic-related changes in behavior and government restrictions in Kenya may have negatively affected food supply chains and household food access; however, the empirical evidence is currently limited., Objectives: The study explored changes in informal milk markets, dairy consumption, and food insecurity among low-income households in urban and periurban Nairobi, Kenya, following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country., Methods: Baseline data on milk sales and consumption were collected in late 2019 from dairy vendors operating in the informal sector and their dairy customers. We conducted 2 longitudinal telephone surveys with the same study participants in July and September-October 2020, respectively., Results: At the first follow-up, the volume of milk sold by informal vendors had dropped by 30% compared with their baseline level, and the volume of milk from informal markets consumed by households decreased by 23%. By the second follow-up, the volume of milk sold and consumed had recovered somewhat but remained lower than the volume observed 1 y prior in the same season. Large reductions in the consumption of other animal-sourced products were also observed. The rate of food insecurity increased by 16 and 11 percentage points in the first and second follow-up periods, respectively, compared with baseline., Conclusions: The evidence, therefore, suggests that the timing of the pandemic and the related restrictions were associated with a decrease in the supply and consumption of milk from informal markets in Nairobi and a decrease in the food security of periurban consumers., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

The goal of this study is a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of processes and flows within the solid waste management (WM) system in Kutaisi, Georgia, and the wider Imereti region. The applied methodology based upon data collected through customized questionnaires enabled both the formal and informal sectors (IS) to be characterized. Moreover, waste composition studies in the region's rural and semi-urban areas revealed that the share of recyclables is higher in urban areas and commercial centres. A material flow analysis was used to transparently consolidate the collected data, showing that dumping and landfilling still play a major role within the Georgian WM system. The total amount of waste landfilled on 'Nikea' landfill in 2019 equals 58,000 tonnes year -1 , from where around 55,500 tonnes year -1 is formally collected municipal solid waste, and 2,503 tonnes year -1 is commercial and industrial waste. According to the findings, the size of the IS in Kutaisi is 0.07-0.15% of the city's population, whose supposed cumulative income is estimated GEL 0.57-1.13 million (EUR 180-360 thousand) in 2019. Informally collected recyclables are estimated 870-1,750 tonnes year -1 , comprising 6-11% of recyclables landfilled in Kutaisi in 2019. The study provides a basis for decision-makers. Replicating the applied methodologies and approaches to create this sound database could support the WM system across whole Georgia. The study further reveals the importance of the need to stop neglecting the IS and recognizes the importance of its role in the WM system of Kutaisi and the wider Imereti region, respectively.

Introduction: Increasing food and nutritional inequities are apparent in urban settings across Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), along with nutrition transition towards ultra-processed diets high in fat, sugar, and salt. In urban informal settlements, characterized by insecurity and inadequate housing and infrastructure, food systems dynamics and their nutritional implications are poorly understood., Objectives: This paper explores the food system determinants of food and nutrition security in urban informal settlements in LMICs with the goal of identifying effective approaches and entry points for policy and program., Methods: Scoping review. Five databases were screened spanning the period 1995 to 2019. A total of 3748 records were assessed for inclusion based on title and abstract followed by 42 full text reviews. At least two reviewers assessed each record. Twenty-four final publications were included, coded, and synthesized., Results: Factors influencing food security and nutrition in urban informal settlements can be organized into three interconnected levels. Macro-level factors include globalization, climate change, transnational food corporations, international treaties and regulations, global and national policies such as SDGs, insufficient social aid programs, and formalization or privatization. Meso-level factors include gender norms, inadequate infrastructure and services, insufficient transportation, informal food retailers, weak municipal policies, marketing strategies, and (lack of) employment. Micro-level factors comprise gender roles, cultural expectations, income, social networks, coping strategies, and food (in) security., Conclusions: Greater policy attention should focus at the meso-level, with priority investments in services and infrastructure within urban informal settlements. The role and engagement of the informal sector is an important consideration in improving the immediate food environment. Gender is also crucial. Women and girls have a central role in food provisioning but are more vulnerable to various forms of malnutrition. Future research should include context-specific studies in LMIC cities as well as promoting policy change using a participatory and gender transformative approach., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The present study aims to assess the prospects for cleaner production (CP) and sustainable development (SD) of informally operated small manufacturing enterprises, which are frequently blamed for uncontrolled waste disposal and causing pollution to the environment. The economic efficiency level of these firms has been explored to this end, and the metallic pollution loads in the surrounding environment have been scientifically analyzed to investigate the nexus between these two. DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis)-Tobit analysis has been employed, and a pollution load index (PLI) of heavy metal pollution comprising two environmental compartments (soil and water) has been constructed based on the concentration level of metalloid pollutants in the samples collected from the surrounding areas of the studied informal firms in Bangladesh. The study disproves CP practice in majority of the informal firms in Bangladesh by observing a positive relationship between firm-level efficiency and pollution load sourced from their production activities. Afterwards, this study estimates the eco-efficiency level of firms by considering pollution load as an undesirable output and minimizing its impact in an input-oriented DEA model. Applying the eco-efficiency scores in censored Tobit regression analysis, the outcome endorses the prospect of CP for informally operated enterprises in Bangladesh. However, the CP prospect can only materialize if and only if firms are provided with adequate technical, financial, and strategic support for achieving eco-efficiency in their production. The informal and marginal nature of the studied firms restricts them from getting access to the facilities and support services needed for implementing CP and moving towards sustainable manufacturing. Therefore, this study recommends green practices in informal manufacturing and limiting the informal firms by bringing them gradually under the coverage of formalization, which is in line with the achievement of the targets mentioned in Sustainable Development Goal 8., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interest to declare. Supplementary content related to this article has been published online at [URL]., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Inappropriate e-waste processing in the informal sector is a serious issue in developing countries. Field investigations in microscale informal recycling sites have been performed to study the impact of hazardous metal(loid)s (released from e-waste dismantling) on the environment (water and soil). Eight hazardous metal(loid)s (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, As, Hg, Ni, and Cr) were primarily found in the monitored water and soil samples (Sangrampur, West Bengal) because of widespread informal e-waste handling and primitive processing. Elevated concentrations of Cd, Pb, As, Cu, and Cr were observed in pond water samples (0.04, 1.62, 0.03, 1.40, 1.74 mg/L respectively). These ponds, which are regularly used for e-waste handling/dismantling, are usually flooded during the monsoon season mixing with further larger water resources - posing a serious threat to public health. Enriched levels of Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn were detected in collected soil samples, both top surface soil (Pb up to 2042.27 ± 206.80, Cd up to 25.90 ± 9.53, Cu up to 6967.30 ± 711.70, and Zn up to 657.10 ± 67.05 mg/Kg) and deeper subsurface soil (Pb, 419.70 ± 44.70; Cd, 18.34 ± 3.81; Cu, 3928.60 ± 356.40; and Zn, 134.40 ± 33.40 mg/Kg), compared to the levels of As, Hg, Ni, and Cr. Seasonal variation of soil metal(loid) content indicated that higher levels of most of the metal(loids) were detected in the pre-monsoon (Nov-May) season, possibly due to the monsoonal dilution effect, except for Pb and Cd. The results highlighted that the composition and the handling of e-waste were important factors affecting the metal(loid) concentrations. E-waste policy and legislation have great influence on the handling and disposal procedures. An improved e-waste management practice has been proposed to encourage eco-friendly and safe e-waste disposal. It is recommended that regulatory agencies and manufacturers should create a road map to convince the informal sector to develop a systematic approach towards a more standardized formal e-waste management practices at the microscale field level., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: To improve equitable access to quality essential services and reduce financial hardship, low-and-middle-income countries are increasingly relying on prepayment strategies such as health insurance schemes. Among the informal sector population, confidence in the health system to provide effective treatment and trust in institutions can play an important role in health insurance enrollment. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which confidence and trust affect enrollment into the recently introduced Zambia National Health insurance., Methods: We conducted a regionally representative cross-sectional household survey in Lusaka, Zambia collecting information on demographics, health expenditure, ratings of last health facility visit, health insurance status and confidence in the health system. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between enrollment and confidence in the private and public health sector as well as trust in the government in general., Results: Of the 620 respondents interviewed, 70% were enrolled or planning to enroll in the health insurance. Only about one-fifth of respondents were very confident that they would receive effective care in the public health sector 'if they became sick tomorrow' while 48% were very confident in the private health sector. While confidence in the public system was only weakly associated with enrollment, confidence in the private health sector was strongly associated with enrollment (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 3.40 95% CI 1.73 - 6.68). No association was found between enrollment and trust in government or perceived government performance., Conclusions: Our results suggest that confidence in the health system, particularly in the private health sector, is strongly associated with health insurance enrollment. Focusing on achieving high quality of care across all levels of the health system may be an effective strategy to increase enrollment in health insurance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Occupational health services are not available for more than 80% of the global workforce. This pertains especially to informal workers, workers in agriculture and in small enterprises, and self-employed. Many are working in hazardous conditions. The World Health Organization, the International Labor Organization, the International Commission on Occupational Health, and the World Organization of Family Doctors promote as part of a solution, basic occupational health services (BOHS) integrated in primary or community health care. Quality information on this topic is difficult to find. The objective of this study is to develop an open access bibliography, a repository, referring to publications on BOHS and similar innovations, to support progress and research., Methods: The database design and sustaining literature searches (PubMed, Google Scholar, SciELO) are described. For each publication selected, basic bibliographic data, a brief content description considering copyright restrictions, and a hyperlink are included., Results: Searches resulted in a database containing 189 references to publications on BOHS such as articles in scientific journals, reports, policy documents, and abstracts of lectures. A global perspective is applied in 43 publications, a national or regional perspective is applied in 146 publications. Operational and evaluative research material is still scarce. Examples of references to publications are shown., Conclusion: The repository can inspire pioneers by showing practices in different countries and can be used for reviews and in-depth analyses. Missing publications such as from China, Russia, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Spanish/Portuguese speaking countries, can be added in the future, and translated. Search functions can be developed. International collaboration for the promotion of occupational health coverage for all workers must be intensified., (© 2023 Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute.)

A large proportion of the older population in India constitutes an undeniable share of workforce after the retirement age. This stresses the need to understand the implications of working at older ages on health outcomes. The main objective of this study is to examine the variations in health outcomes by formal/informal sector of employment of older workers using the first wave of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India. Using binary logistic regression models, the results of this study affirm that type of work does play a significant role in determining health outcomes even after controlling socio-economic, demographic, life-style behaviour, childhood health and work characteristics. The risk of Poor Cognitive Functioning (PCF) is high among informal workers, while formal workers suffer greatly from Chronic Health Conditions (CHC) and Functional Limitations (FL). Moreover, the risk of PCF and/or FL among formal workers increases with the increase in risk of CHC. Therefore, the present research study underscores the relevance of policies focusing on providing health and healthcare benefits by respective economic activity and socio-economic position of older workers., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Chowdhury et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Lead (Pb) is added to automotive paints to prevent corrosion on metallic surfaces, for decorative colours, and for reflective properties to heighten visibility, and enhanced drying time, and durability. However, there are substitutes for all of these applications and Pb is highly toxic to human health and the environment. Through concerted efforts, leaded gasoline was phased out and currently, the focus is on lead-based paints. Leaded automotive paint used for spray painting activities often conducted in close proximity to human habitation raises public health concerns over possible exposure. This study was therefore undertaken to assess Pb levels in automotive paints frequently used by informal spray painters. A total of thirty-two (n = 32) cans of automotive paints were purchased in 4 sets of red, blue, green and white colours from eight formal and informal retail shops. Lead levels in the paint samples were analyzed in triplicates using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. All the automotive paints from the informal retail shops had Pb levels that ranged from 220 to 2740 ppm, and exceeded the regulatory limit of 90 ppm. The blue paint from the informal store had the highest Pb levels which were 30 times of the set limit. On the contrary, the paints from the formal stores had significantly (p < 0.05) lower Pb levels that ranged from 80.7 to 580 ppm than those of the informal stores. Although only one paint sample from the former retail shop had Pb levels within the limit. In general, the elevated Pb levels in automotive paints that are used in an unregulated environment are potential sources of exposure and environmental contamination. The study urgently calls for enforcement of the regulatory limits and comprehensive Pb exposure assessments in this sector., (© 2023 The Authors.)

South Africa's major cities are periodically wracked by large-scale xenophobic violence directed at migrants and refugees from other countries. Informal sector businesses and their migrant owners and employees are particularly vulnerable targets during these attacks. Migrant-owned businesses are also targeted on a regular basis in smaller-scale looting and destruction of property. There is now a large literature on the characteristics and causes of xenophobic violence and attitudes in South Africa, most of it based on quantitative and qualitative research in the country's major metropolitan areas. One of the consequences of big-city xenophobia has been a search for alternative markets and safer spaces by migrants, including relocating to the country's many smaller urban centres. The question addressed in this paper is whether they are welcomed in these cities and towns or subject to the same kinds of victimization as in large cities. This paper is the first to systematically examine this question by focusing on a group of towns in Limpopo Province and the experiences of migrants in the informal sector there. Through survey evidence and in-depth interviews and focus groups with migrant and South African vendors, the paper demonstrates that xenophobia is also pervasive in these smaller centres, in ways that both echo and differ from that in the large cities. The findings in this paper have broader significance for other countries attempting to deal with the rise of xenophobia., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Urbanisation has accelerated the pace of development throughout the world. Big cities provide employment and livelihood for workers because of which workers have always migrated from rural areas to cities. However, in India, most of the migrant workers are absorbed in the low-paid and low-skilled jobs in the widespread informal sector. With the outbreak of COVID-19, lockdown was declared suddenly without any notice in India during the last week of March 2019 and most of the urban informal sector workers suddenly lost their jobs, and since they had no protection, they were pushed into poverty. Detailed analysis of such losses is of utmost importance so that perfectly appropriate remedial measures can be taken by the government. Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report of 2019-20 has analysed the situation of labour market in India for four quarters from July 2019 to June 2020. Therefore, the last quarter of the data will give us the valuable information about the urban labour market during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic period. This study analyses the possible reasons behind decline in monthly earnings and labour market participation of urban people in India during the period of outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, i.e. during the period from April 2020 to June 2020, using the data of fourth quarter from each of the PLFSs of 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 since they have identical seasonal conditions. We have used cross-tabulation method to find out employment and unemployment rates of people in urban areas according to gender and type of employment for the period, from July to June, for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020. We have also tried to find the reasons behind the decline in income of workers during the first three months of the pandemic period, i.e. during the fourth quarter of 2019-20, compared to the fourth quarter of 2017-18 and that of 2018-19 using the Mincerian wage equation. Our empirical results have shown that urban workers in India have lost jobs and suffered from significant decline in income during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic period in almost all types of employment., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestI have no conflict of interest to declare., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Indian Society of Labour Economics 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Globally, E-waste is experiencing an unprecedented growth in the recent years. This growth will be fueled further by the COVID-19 pandemic owing to the new work culture where people are becoming more dependent on their electronic products than ever before. However, governance of E-waste, particularly in the Global South, has been a complex phenomenon. Considering this, the current study attempted to assess the design, adoption, and implementation of E-waste policies in India-a major electronics manufacturing hub with a massive consumer electronics market. Taking hints from theoretical concepts such as policy transfer, policy convergence, and policy effectiveness, the study addressed the primary research question: why India adopts E-waste policy approaches that seem inadequate and ineffective in its local contexts and attempts to identify alternative approaches. Through expert interviews and policy document analysis, it was observed that E-waste policy approaches in India are largely influenced by the European Union's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. All the experts interviewed recognized absence of the informal sector in India's policy efforts of both 2011 and 2016 as a significant lacuna in the country's E-waste policy responses. In this paper, the author argues that there should be policy change towards a healthy collaboration between the informal and formal sector where best-of-the-two-worlds could be wisely used for sustainable E-waste governance in India., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: There is a widespread acceptance and shift towards sustainable, inclusive and smart mobility solutions around the world. However, in Karachi, poorly coordinated urban planning, lack of effective governance structure and investment in transport, has allowed the growth of an almost unregulated and ungovernable informal transport sector. Women are more severely affected by the poor service since men not only have more space allocated to them on public transport but also have the freedom to use alternative and cheaper private vehicles such as motorbikes and cycles. Poor representation of women in the transport sector further aggravates the situation., Objective: The paper aims to highlight the gender-disaggregated effects of poor transport design, provision and lack of personal agency on mobility, for emphasising the social and cultural attitudes faced by female employees. It argues that not integrating the gender-based disadvantages faced by women into planning, reinforces their disadvantaged position and force them to take complex trips., Methods: Scenario-based questions were designed for focus group discussion which covered not only the everyday mobility challenges but also their reactions to the potential solutions. For a gender-based comparative analysis, two separate focus group discussions were organised., Results: Adopting a sector-based mapping approach of the issues discussed in the groups helped understand the complexity of female user experience at various levels, starting from planning or discussing the trips with families, to making modal choices. It also helped to tease out the impact of these issues on their employment opportunities as early-career women., Conclusion: The model proposed in this paper can help illustrate where changes can be made in the system considering the social aspects of transport.

Motivation: There are three puzzling features of sub-Saharan African tax systems: tax administrations maintain records on vast numbers of small enterprises that actually provide no revenue; they continually invest resources into registering even more of these "unproductive taxpayers"; and discussions about taxing small enterprises are framed by the ambiguous, misleading concept of the "informal sector.", Purpose: To make sense of these separate puzzling practices and narratives by exploring the synergies between them, and the broader organizational and political interests that they serve., Methods and Approach: There is little statistical or sociological information on the functioning of national tax administrations in sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis is based on the results of recent research; along with a thorough search for useful data; my own extensive interactions with African tax administrators and relevant international organizations; and a sensitivity to the political dimensions of taxation., Findings: The three features of tax systems that are individually puzzling make sense when examined holistically. The continual drive to register more taxpayers provides an unduly favourable impression of the extent of policy and managerial efforts to collect more revenue. The informal sector narrative locates the apparent cause of revenue scarcity in the alleged undertaxation of small enterprises and poorer people, and thus helps divert attention from failures adequately to tax more privileged Africans and larger enterprises., Policy Implications: Be very wary of claims that it would be a good idea to invest resources in registering large numbers of new taxpayers in sub-Saharan Africa. Try to avoid using the term "informal sector" when discussing issues of tax policy and administration-it is confusing and diversionary., (© 2022 The Authors. Development Policy Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of ODI.)

The Ghanaian government began implementing the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2005, anchored on the universal health coverage principle. However, informal sector workers contribute to the low enrolment into the scheme. This paper examines the factors that influence enrolment status in Ghana's NHIS among individuals in the informal sector. The study employed the fixed-effects logit model, using the Ghana Socioeconomic Panel Survey datasets. The findings revealed that gender, age, education, marital status, household size, physical activity, income, savings and subjective social welfare determine enrolment decisions of persons in the informal sector. Drivers of NHIS enrolment for male and female household heads were secondary education and household size. Heterogeneously, age, Junior High School education, married, physical activity, subjective social welfare and savings influenced only male-headed households' enrolment status. The study shows differences in enrolment status among rural and urban residents, as age, education, marital status, household size, and physical activity influenced rural residents, while for urban inhabitants', savings determined their NHIS enrolment decisions. However, gender, obesity, income and subjective social welfare predicted enrolment decisions for rural and urban residents. Finally, two variables, gender (male) and physical activity predicted the NHIS enrolment decision among the poor, whereas subjective social welfare and savings influenced the wealthiest enrolment decisions. For Ghana to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of universal health coverage, the study recommends enhanced public education on NHIS benefits among informal workers to promote enrolment., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The brick-kiln (BK) sector in Nepal is largely an informal sector. This study investigated the influence of working and living conditions (WLCs) in BKs on productivity at two levels - BK level and workers' level - using primary data collected from 781 workers and 80 BK entrepreneurs in 12 districts of Nepal. WLCs were assessed based on the provision of nine amenities to workers at BKs. Correlation and regression analyses revealed that WLCs have a positive influence on both BK level as well as workers' level productivity. Moreover, large BKs with better investment in zig-zag technology and mechanization are more likely to spend on improving WLCs than small BKs, who are reluctant to invest in WLCs due mainly to a lack of financial resources. The study suggests an integrated approach emphasizing equally improved WLCs and cleaner technology in the BK sector to transform it into a healthier and socio-environmentally responsible industry.