Search

Entrepreneurship scholars often lament the lack of economic growth in contexts of poverty and informality. We propose that this dismal assessment, as well as subsequent prescriptions to address it, flow from a narrow epistemological approach to informality based on absence, where the lack of (Western) market-supporting legal and regulatory institutions explain missing economic growth at the firm level. In contrast, we build a theoretical approach grounded in presence, proposing that a more comprehensive incorporation of existing institutions may reveal less visible, individual level types of entrepreneurial growth occurring in informal economies. To do so, we conceptualize informal economies as institutional interfaces built of "bits and pieces" from market and nonmarket institutions. We propose that the configuration of these interfaces influences the cultural toolkits of inhabitant entrepreneurs, which in turn shapes how they grow in an informal economy. Specifically, we link three dimensions of institutional complexity at the institutional interface (jurisdictional influence, fragmentation, and incompatibility) to three types of growth (direct, dispersed, and disguised) that vary in terms of visibility. Our theory animates understanding of diverse informal economies and the entrepreneurial activity that exists within them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, the focus on the COVID-19 pandemic was primarily directed at establishing the detrimental effects on the economic sector, including how to contain the spread of the virus. Limited attention was paid to how the pandemic affected those who work in the informal sector, particularly the sex industry. This article rests on the premise that while sex work has not been legalized in South Africa, it is nonetheless a vital source of income for those who work in the industry. The article used humanitarianism as a lens to explain the exclusion of sex workers from government social support programs. The article found that there were no designated social and economic programs for sex workers due to their occupation falling outside the legal beneficiary framework. The criminalization of commercial sex work exacerbated poverty and socio-economic desperation during the pandemic and also exposed them to operational risks that included exposure to COVID-19 ailments. Going forward, this article argues for the need to decriminalize commercial sex and the introduction of safety net programs to restore the dignity of sex workers and their livelihoods in the event of crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy emphasis on financial inclusion and deepening has shifted away from measures capturing formal financial services only and towards the development of more inclusive financial markets which account for both formal and informal services. This study examines the effect of financial inclusion and vulnerability coping strategies on multidimensional poverty, where the conceptualisation of financial inclusion is based on four perspectives—(i) one that focuses on only the formal financial sector, (ii) another that concentrates on only the informal financial sector, (iii) one that considers only the mobile money sector and (iv) finally, one that combines all financial markets (i.e., formal and informal including mobile money). Findings show that the conceptualisation of financial inclusion does not only matter in identifying the financially included but also has an implication on how financial inclusion influences multidimensional poverty. Financial inclusion measures that use only formal financial products and services understate their potential effects on multidimensional poverty, thus, justifying the need for a financial inclusion measure that considers both formal and informal sectors. Incorporating informal financial products and services in the measure reduces multidimensional poverty more for female‐headed households and those in rural settings. Households' adoption of vulnerability coping strategies has the potential to reduce the likelihood of being multidimensionally poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to analyze the asymmetrical effects between the real exchange rate and poverty in some Maghreb countries through the remittances channel and the informal sector channel. We aim at answering the following question: to what extent does the variation of the real exchange rate contribute to explain the evolution of poverty through the channels of remittances and the informal sector? To do so, we applied the NARDL technique on data for three countries (Algeria, Tunisia, and the Maghreb) over the period from 1980 to 2018. The results show that real exchange rate depreciations have a larger positive effect on poverty through remittances. The results are expected to be of considerable importance for developing countries in designing exchange rate and inflation policies that affect the poverty levels of their populations through the remittance mechanism and the size of the informal sector.

The economic downturn that began in Nigeria in the early 1980s worsened from the mid-1980s due to the implementation of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). This resulted in widespread social and economic disruption, especially for the poor who comprise most of the population. One response among youth has been to migrate abroad in search of better opportunities, despite stricter entry requirements in Europe and the United States. This paper examines the desperation behind Nigerian youths' attempts to leave the country for better lives in the Middle East, Europe, or the United States. It also explores the social protection programmes now available in Nigeria that are meant to address unemployment, poverty, and deter youths from desperately migrating. The paper argues that the misinformed decision to embark on the continuing dangerous Mediterranean Sea crossings, resulting in loss of life, has become a national disgrace. It calls for a review of social protection policies and programmes to halt the flow of youths in dire need of assistance. The analysis is framed by Everett S. Lee's Push and Pull Theory of Migration and Michael J. Piore's Dual Labor Market Theory. While formal sector workers in Nigeria have long enjoyed social safety nets like pensions, informal sector workers lack access to sustainable, well-funded social protection programs. Existing initiatives are often emergency-based, ad-hoc, neglected and changed with each administration. Intended beneficiaries lose faith in the system. This contrasts sharply with robust regimes in more technologically-advanced countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an organizational form, cooperatives are increasingly being used throughout the world across different industries and sectors. While it has been suggested that various benefits can be derived from shared ownership, cooperatives are often characterized by conflict among members that, in turn, can lead to eventual failure of the cooperatives. Existing theory has suggested that the choice of formal control structure can play an important role in mitigating conflict, but a longstanding debate exists as to whether flat versus hierarchical control structures are more effective. To add further insight into this theoretical discussion, we conducted a field experiment involving 40 newly formed cooperatives in rural Ghana, which were randomly assigned to either a flat or hierarchical control structure. The quantitative results of our field experiment and subsequent qualitative data suggest that formal hierarchical control structures lead to lower levels of collective psychological ownership, which in turn result in higher levels of conflict compared to flat control structures within cooperatives. However, our results also suggest that the extent to which the choice of formal control structures influences conflict among cooperative members can be highly dependent on the absence or presence of an informal hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work interrogates the long-held assumption that captive Africans exited slavery exhibiting psychological damage that blocked their progress as free men, women and families. As a counter narrative to the deficit perspective on Black life, the literature on extreme poverty and fluctuating unemployment patterns are summarized to show how the importance of social class has too often been underestimated, and the assumed negative, psychological effects of slavery, overestimated. Post WWII economic trends of the 1940s and 1950s are highlighted. The contemporary political economy of Black people is shown to reveal a diunital, paradoxical pattern, with many educated Blacks having access to life among the elite or top 10%, while less educated Blacks are forced to live in extreme poverty that approximates a modern caste system. The Black experience with poverty, tracked from Emancipation up to the present, is best explained by economic rather than psychological causes and dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In Villavicencio city in 2018, the population had the Informal economy as the income source for the middle of the population, one quarter of the population were in poverty, and in turn, one quarter were registered as victims of the armed conflict. In this condition, a huge group of people dedicated themselves to street sales as an alternative to unemployment and thus achieve their livelihood. Objective: This article aims to analyze the livelihoods of street vendors in Villavicencio to achieve the reproduction of their life in the face of national social policies in the period 2010-2018. Method and technique: The qualitative methodology was selected from the Latin American Configuration ism approach and the social policies that the national governments developed and that reached this population was observed. A case study was developed with in-depth interviews with a population of 12 people dedicated to street vendors in Villavicencio. Results: The livelihoods of this population were identified from the economic, financial, social dimensions, and concerning the State, making visible from their point of view, the interpretation of reality and the role of the national government in the face of its problems. Conclusion: This research contributes to the understanding of the popular economy, the living conditions of street vendors and vendors, and the urgent need to know their context for the development of social policies related to this huge and heterogeneous population group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to analyze the asymmetrical effects between the real exchange rate and poverty in some Maghreb countries through the remittances channel and the informal sector channel. We aim at answering the following question: to what extent does the variation of the real exchange rate contribute to explain the evolution of poverty through the channels of remittances and the informal sector? To do so, we applied the NARDL technique on data for three countries (Algeria, Tunisia, and the Maghreb) over the period from 1980 to 2018. The results show that real exchange rate depreciations have a larger positive effect on poverty through remittances. The results are expected to be of considerable importance for developing countries in designing exchange rate and inflation policies that affect the poverty levels of their populations through the remittance mechanism and the size of the informal sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite an increase in studies focusing on street children in Zimbabwe, there is limited research on street children in the informal sector. In this article, I explore the informal activities of street children in their quest to survive on the streets of the Harare Metropolitan Municipality in Zimbabwe. The survey data were derived from 202 street children aged between 6 and 18 years who were purposively selected in the Harare Metropolitan Province. A descriptive research design and a questionnaire were used to collect quantitative data. The article draws from the resilience theory that informs various survival strategies adopted by street children in response to stresses and shocks triggered by the harsh economic environment in Zimbabwe. The quantitative data gathered were analysed using descriptive analysis and presented in the form of pie charts, bar graphs and tables. The findings revealed that street children are embarking on livelihood activities such as street vending, car washing, street parking, waste recycling, luggage carrying and various part-time jobs. Furthermore, the findings indicated that the by-laws of the City of Harare restrict informal activities on the street, leading to livelihood strategies such as bribery of the municipal authorities, nocturnal trading and whistling to alert others that they are being raided. Drawing on the findings of the study, it was concluded that, contrary to dominant theoretical and empirical works that conceptualise street children as helpless, street children have the agency to engage actively in creative survival strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Eleuthera is the property of Universidad de Caldas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The South African street food industry is essential in elevating the socioeconomic standing of sellers. However, most studies on street food vending focused on perception, safety, consumption, and handling of street food. Therefore, it is necessary to fill this gap. The study explores street food vending contribution on poverty and unemployment in the Mahikeng Local Municipality. The study's goal was accomplished by using a mixed research methodology. A sample size of 401 respondents were selected for the study and data was obtained using structured, semi-structured and unstructured questionnaires. The study found that street food vending creates jobs not only for the people involved in the trade, but also for people who would otherwise be unemployed, for example, those who are retrenched. In addition, street food distribution has become a cornerstone for vendors to generate income to supplement family income that improved the standard of living of the vendors. Additionally, some vendors were able to acquire assets such as livestock and landed property from the profit made from the business, contributing to reducing poverty incidence among traders in the area. The paper concludes that street food vending has contributed in creating jobs thus, reducing poverty incidence. However, the street food industry continues to confront obstacles such as lack of cash and credit and location-based business restrictions. Therefore, in order for SFV to be effective, steps must be taken to minimise the difficulties affecting the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a growing number of empirical works on the shadow economy and poverty, the bidirectional causality between these two phenomena has been a relatively neglected area or only treated in a case study of a specific country. So that, the important novelty of this paper is to explore the two-way linkage between poverty and the informal economy by using a panel dataset of around 100 developing countries over the period 1991–2017. Our empirical finding concludes such a complex causality between poverty and informality in the developing world. In addition, this relationship critically depends on a country's level of economic development. Therefore, the policies, which help developing countries to get out of poverty as well as to regulate the informal activities, should be carefully considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically identifies three types of entrepreneurs in the Congolese informal sector, namely top-performers, constrained gazelles and survivalists. Based on logit and fixed effect OLS models, the paper finds that poverty and income inequality are more common among constrained gazelles and survivalists. Results also show that income inequality is explained mainly by educational disparities and lack of credit access among entrepreneurs. The outcomes of a Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition show that the performance of firms is a key factor in explaining differences in income. Moreover, the paper finds that human capital and managerial skills are important engines of performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In informal sector, labor is unnecessary to have a higher degree and special skill. So that, working in informal sector is one of the solutions for labor with low skill to gain an income and move out from poverty. This research aims to analyse determinant factors of labor income in informal sector, focused on demographic and social economics variables. By using SAKERNAS data from Indonesian Statistics, this research is adopted Mincer Wage Equation and conducted by Ordinary Least Square Method. The result shows that Mincer Equation still a robust model for modelling wage factor. Labor with more educational backgrounds come up with higher income since the education will refine the workability and capability to improve productivity. In the other hand, labor in informal sector who live in the village earn more income than those who work in the city area. This conclude that by right policy, informal sector can develop higher income as high as formal sector.

According to the International Labour Organisation, the informal sector employs more than 60% of the world’s workforce. Due to severe gender inequality in the formal sector, women dominate the informal economy in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, the informal sector can help with poverty reduction efforts, especially among vulnerable groups like women. Despite a number of studies examining various businesses, the informal palm oil and kernel production industry (POKPI) has garnered little attention, especially in Ghana. We used a cross-sectional survey design and pragmatism as our philosophical approach to answer the question of whether the POKPI is a safe haven or a poverty trap for women. The perspective through which we conducted this research was the Sustainable Livelihood Approach. The findings demonstrate that the POKPI has a lot of promise for providing women with long-term livelihood options. However, if its current slew of problems is neglected, it has the potential to sink its participants into a never-ending cycle of poverty. As a result, we made some suggestions for overcoming the obstacles to positioning the POKPI as a viable livelihood plan for women.

The Coronavirus pandemic has affected various sectors in the world including India. The sector which has been badly affected by the pandemic is the informal sector. The present study aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the informal sector in the world, including in India. An exploratory methodology is used in the study which is comprised of policy documents, research papers, international reports, and available literature in the related area. The study finds that the pandemic has severely affected poverty, hunger, deprivation, unemployment, economic and social inequality in the informal sector in India. As a result, it increases socio-economic problems in India. The study recommends bringing policies and protection measures for the informal sector to overcome such unprecedented events in the future. The study also suggests a need for further studies on the impact of COVID-19 on the informal sector in the emerging and developing countries of the World for broader generalisation. Otherwise, which will adversely affect the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: informal economy; labor; politics; poverty; privatization EN informal economy labor politics poverty privatization 60 68 9 01/04/22 20220101 NES 220101 Graph: Top: Chicago Crosby works as an informal recycler or "canner" in New York City, where she is also an organizer with Sure We Can, a non-profit redemption center and canning collective in Brooklyn. 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. 9 "There is No Recovery without Informal Workers Covid Recovery and Post-Covid Reforms: Demands of Informal Worker Organizations", available at https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/resources/file/Informal%20Worker%20Demands%20-%2012-City%20Study.pdf. In some cases, this threat was realized overnight, as abruptly imposed lockdowns forced informal workers - street vendors, domestic workers, moto taxi drivers, market porters, and others - to stay home and find ways to survive without their daily earnings. In cities where cash was provided and workers were able to gain access, many reported that the support was insufficient to meet their needs.[16] Indeed, those workers who received cash grants were not less likely to report adult or childhood hunger at home. [Extracted from the article]

According to the International Labour Organisation, the informal sector employs more than 60% of the world's workforce. Due to severe gender inequality in the formal sector, women dominate the informal economy in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, the informal sector can help with poverty reduction efforts, especially among vulnerable groups like women. Despite a number of studies examining various businesses, the informal palm oil and kernel production industry (POKPI) has garnered little attention, especially in Ghana. We used a cross-sectional survey design and pragmatism as our philosophical approach to answer the question of whether the POKPI is a safe haven or a poverty trap for women. The perspective through which we conducted this research was the Sustainable Livelihood Approach. The findings demonstrate that the POKPI has a lot of promise for providing women with long-term livelihood options. However, if its current slew of problems is neglected, it has the potential to sink its participants into a never-ending cycle of poverty. As a result, we made some suggestions for overcoming the obstacles to positioning the POKPI as a viable livelihood plan for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pre-Covid-19 world of work was rife with inequalities and difficulties, with more than 40 per cent of working-age South Africans unemployed. The majority of those in employment were barely able to eke out a living - between 20 per cent to 30 per cent were working in the informal economy, mostly without labour rights and social protection and earning low incomes that trapped them in poverty. The precarious nature of the South African labour market before the Covid-19 pandemic was characterised by casualisation, informalisation, and externalisation of work. This resulted in the reduction of the number of workers employed for definite periods and rising levels of precarious workers. This article investigates the precarious nature of work and the various work paradigms present in the South African labour market before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. New challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and new forms of work in the South African labour market are also considered, together with measures taken to address precarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the potential impact of climate change and armed conflict on inequality in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). The system‐GMM for a panel of 35 SSA countries is employed using annual data from 1997 to 2018. The empirical results indicate that armed conflict and climate are major drivers of inequality in SSA. The direct impact of the two determinants is more than the indirect impact. Also, the impact of armed conflict is more than the climate change. The coefficients of population growth, output growth, unemployment, natural rent, exchange rate and inflation rate are significant positive predictors of inequality in the SSA. The study advocates for a multidisciplinary inclusive growth strategy that prioritises the climate change reversal, de‐escalation of armed conflict, population control, reduction of the unemployment rate and increasing informal sector productivity, to promote inclusive growth and reduce inequality. However, sequencing the policy targets relative to the magnitude of their impact on inequality is extremely crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The informal sector in Zimbabwe employs more than 80 per cent of the population, whose livelihood strategies are under severe threat because of the COVID‐19 lockdown. This paper examines the effects of the lockdown on the informal sector in Gweru. Anchored within the legalist theory of informality, the paper analyses the response of government to the plight of the informal sector in Zimbabwe. A qualitative research design was applied and convenience sampling implemented to select 30 individuals whose livelihood depended on informal cross‐border trade, informal transport, forex trading, hairdressing, and street vending. Results reveal that despite many involved in the informal sector having lost their means of survival during the COVID‐19 lockdown, the government introduced additional restrictions on this sector, thus almost destroying it. In the absence of government assistance, many have adapted their operations, albeit through illegal activities. The study offers recommendations that may ensure the survival of the informal sector beyond the COVID‐19 pandemic. This is important, given that the informal sector is the largest contributor to household income and food security in Zimbabwe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper using 68th round National Sample Survey of India data on Employment and Unemployment for 2011-2012 wants to investigate the incidence of poverty, acuteness of poverty and their determinants among the informal workers of India. It is shown that percentage of poverty has been lowest among the self-employed workers and highest among the informal workers in the formal sector in the rural area, while in the urban area the result is just the opposite. Although percentage of poverty-stricken workers has been higher in the rural area compared to that of the urban, acuteness of poverty has been the other way round. The determining factors of incidence of poverty and acuteness of poverty among the informal workers are general educational qualification, social groups, and sectors. These determining factors can be considered as important policy variables to reduce the incidence and acuteness of poverty among the informal workers of India.

South Africa lags behind among other developing and emerging market economies on business start-ups. Businesses that fail in a year is averaging between 50% and 60%, a figure quite high for a country struggling with achieving sustainable economic growth to reduce unemployment, inequality and poverty. This study identifies issues hurting SMMEs that need attention from both businesses themselves as well as from policymakers. The objective of this study is to identify key business success determinants using cross-sectional data that was randomly collected from informal businesses in Johannesburg/Pretoria in South Africa from 390 informal SMMEs. Using assets ownership as a yardstick for success in an ordered logistic regression, the study finds education status, income, employment growth, centre of operation, financial inclusion, experience, financial literacy and advertising budget were significant in explaining assets ownership (success) in South Africa. This study recommends that the government through its various institutions that deal specifically with small businesses come up with radical business training programmes so as to improve the finance literacy among small business. Also, small business owners should budget to fund their advertising budgets since it is found that advertising has a positive impact of firm success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women workers continue in the beedi industry due to the unavailability of alternative livelihoods though they are vulnerable and exploited. This remains a poorly understood field of research due to the unavailability of reliable data, which is an obstacle to the effective implementation of various policies and schemes. Even, the number of beedi worker reported by the Ministry of Labour and Employment contains significant discrepancies. These data show that the registered beedi workers have increased in India with a significant decline in the Southern States in the last two decades. We estimate the women beedi employees at the state and district levels and also assess their socio-economic status. We find that the number of women beedi workers in the registered firms has increased in India including the Southern States, and about 80% of beedi workers are women and mainly living in the rural areas. Further, we find that while West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka have the highest number of beedi workers, the highest share of women in the total beedi workforce is found in Andhra Pradesh (95%), Karnataka (91%), and Tamil Nadu (84%). The majority of women beedi workers are illiterate with a lower wage than men's. The minority mainly Christian followers are significant compared to their population share, and the OBC category is significant among the women beedi workers. More than 90% of the women beedi rollers do not have written job contracts and are not eligible for paid leaves or social security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-employment in the informal sector keeps poor people alive, but it rarely enables them to exit poverty. To exit poverty through self-employment, poor people require monetary and non-monetary resources which they overwhelmingly lack. To escape this dilemma, the owners of survivalist business firms need to band together in order to assemble a minimal resource base on the strength of which they can together upgrade their partnership. Because resources are scarce in poverty populations, this task is exceptionally hard to accomplish. Rotating credit and savings associations (ROSCAs) can enable individuals to exit poverty through self-employment, but ROSCAs only work in the most-resourced, upper tier of a poverty population. In the lower tier, Grameen model banks inject organizational, educational, and financial resources that enable impoverished individuals to exit poverty by upgrading a survivalist business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic experiences of single mothers working in the informal economy receives little attention in public policy debates and social development transformative interventions. This study qualitatively explored the economic experiences of eight single mothers who worked in the informal economy in Zimbabwe. Drawing on African feminism, the authors present the biographical profiles of these mothers and discuss three key themes: financial hardships, social discrimination and safety nets. The article concludes with some considerations for harnessing the valuable contributions made by single mothers to the informal economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing pool of evidence showing that cash transfers can promote livelihood activities. Yet there has been limited empirical studies that explore how financial support influences beneficiaries' decision-making in the construction and operation of livelihood activities in an urban context. This study presents findings from qualitative research conducted in a poor urban community in South Africa. Structuration theory provides an analytical tool to understand how cash transfers enable decision-making of beneficiaries in livelihood activities. The study finds that beneficiaries make different types of initial and ongoing decisions to improve their socio-economic condition. Among the contributions of this paper is that it counters the cynicism that is usually attached to cash transfers. The study's implications include the incorporation of both social and economic goals in the design of social protection policies as well as the need for greater recognition of the role of the informal economy in eradicating poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labor informality and poverty are at high levels in Latin America. In developing countries, poverty and the labor market are related not through unemployment but through employment. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the link between labor informality and poverty in Colombia. To do so, earnings gaps associated with labor informality are estimated; then, the effect of formalization on poverty is calculated, as the influence of changes in labor informality on Colombia's poverty reduction from 2002 to 2013. The findings show that the earnings gap between formal and informal workers is 37–44%, and if informality were eliminated, poverty would decrease by approximately 40%. However, even though informality has great potential to reduce poverty, its actual effect on Colombia's poverty reduction in the years analyzed was low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labor informality and poverty are at high levels in Latin America. In developing countries, poverty and the labor market are related not through unemployment but through employment. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the link between labor informality and poverty in Colombia. To do so, earnings gaps associated with labor informality are estimated; then, the effect of formalization on poverty is calculated, as the influence of changes in labor informality on Colombia's poverty reduction from 2002 to 2013. The findings show that the earnings gap between formal and informal workers is 37–44%, and if informality were eliminated, poverty would decrease by approximately 40%. However, even though informality has great potential to reduce poverty, its actual effect on Colombia's poverty reduction in the years analyzed was low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migrants account for about 53.6 per cent of the residents in the Douala metropolis, with most of them expecting a salaried job in a situation where job opportunities are scarce. As a consequence, there is high unemployment, a concentration of migrant workers in the informal sector of the economy and poorly paid jobs. It was discovered that about 91 per cent of the youth from the different regions of Cameroon who are living in Douala earn a wage that is below the poverty line. The study results show that only 9 per cent and 13.3 per cent of them are unemployed and students, respectively; therefore, 68.7 per cent are the working poor. Internal migration streams of youth in Cameroon to the Douala metropolis is a navigation of young men between two poverty zones, from higher intensity of poverty (rural areas, semi-urban areas) to another area of high poverty intensity (the metropolis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the debate on the link between poverty and artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM) – low‐tech, labour‐intensive mineral extraction and processing – in sub‐Saharan Africa. It specifically seeks to advance discussion on the idea that throughout the region, the sector's operators are trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty. Drawing on ongoing research being conducted on marginalised women engaged in ASM in Ghana, an attempt is made to further nuance the "poverty trap‐ASM" narrative. In the context of sub‐Saharan Africa, debates on this issue should focus on the challenges faced by marginalised groups such as women, in particular how their growing dependence on monies earned from the sector for their livelihoods has increased their vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working poverty exists worldwide and has shown an increase in prevalence over the past few decades. Over the years, there has been an increase in the number and severity of low-wage employment, which in turn contributes significantly to poverty. Whilst paid employment has generally been considered as the predominant means to survive financially, salaries may be too low to maintain reasonable living standards. South African research on low-wage employment and working poverty in particular, are rare. Using data from the first four waves of the National Income Dynamics Study, this study fills the existing research gap by examining low-wage employment, working poverty, and low-wage poverty. The empirical findings indicated that all three groups are predominantly lowly-educated, middle-aged African female employees involved in elementary occupations in the informal sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argentina poses a setting in which many people are either unemployed, involuntarily underemployed or working in the informal sector. Employment scarcity worsens due to the recruiting mechanisms, which are highly restrictive for vulnerable people, and lead to greater inequality in the access to the labor market. Since the Public Employment Service has only been present for 15 years in Argentina, the path followed by other countries can become an invaluable advisor when it comes to adapting successful experiences to the local setting. Within this analytical summary, and using a model case study methodology, an exercise is proposed. Such exercise allows for the evaluation of the local diagnosis and the assessment of the adaptation potential that the most effective labor intermediation strategies have. One of the main findings is that international evidence shows that the Active Labor Market Policies must be framed within a perspective which considers that inclusion is strategic for the growth of a country. Furthermore, it could be interesting to adapt and implement diverse policies of labor intermediation in the local framework. This is the case of profiling, reinforced guidance, the avail of technological tools and the creation of partnerships with the third sector, as well as with the private sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social work profession has seen significant changes in approach, with more focus on developmental social welfare in response to structural injustices, poverty, inequality, well-being and development. Day labouring is a global phenomenon and typical of the South African informal sector. This study analyses the hardships of day labourers in East London to reflect on developmental social welfare and its relevance for informal workers in South Africa. A sequential explanatory research design and a mixed-methods approach were adopted. In phase 1 (quantitative), 131 participants were interviewed. In the second phase qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 participants at six different hiring sites. The findings reveal that day labourers work under conditions in which even their basic human rights cannot be guaranteed. Failure to take decisive steps to ensure that their rights are upheld amounts to turning a blind eye to the gross exploitation of one segment of society by another. An inclusive, appreciative and participatory approach is needed to facilitate strategies to integrate informal workers such as day labourers into initiatives that are designed to grant social justice to groups who continue to be marginalised and to live in abject poverty more than two decades after the official demise of apartheid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of poverty on the size of the shadow economy using cross‐country panel data for over 100 countries for the period 1991–2015. The results show that poverty has a positive and significant effect on the size of the shadow economy. Furthermore, we argue that the quality and size of governmental institutions matter in moderating the impact of poverty on the shadow economy. Considering the interactions between poverty and government quality and size, we find that poverty has the largest effect on the size of the shadow economy when government quality is the lowest and the size of the government is the largest. These results withstand a battery of robustness checks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of informal and unskilled workers are the two major characteristics of the Indonesian labor market, representing around 57.27% of the total workers in 2019. Moreover, many studies on poverty dynamics have highly emphasized education attainment as an essential factor against poverty. However, how education can influence poverty especially through the labor market has not been deeply explored. Theoretically, people having higher educational levels would have greater chances to be hired in formal jobs that provide better incomes, enabling workers to move out of poverty. This study aims to analyze the effect of education on employment mobility from informal to formal workers (informal turnover), as well as its effect on the poverty dynamics in Indonesia. The exploration of the National Panel Socio-Economic Survey (2011-2013) revealed that those with improved education tended to move out of the informal sector, indicating that education had a significant effect on the tendency of moving out of informality. The study also found that the predicted informal turnover decreased the probabilities of being transient poor and always poor by 69% and 14%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unemployment and poverty are serious problems facing urban areas in developing countries. To combat these problems, urban residents have devised a way of employing themselves in the informal sector. However, these informal sector entrepreneurs have continually experienced harassment and stigmatization in the eyes of the urban management agencies. This study aimed at assessing the livelihood impacts of the implications of informal urban entrepreneurship in Kaduna, Nigeria. The objectives are to estimate the income of the informal urban entrepreneurs in line with the minimum wage of Nigeria and establish the relationship between the socio-demographic characteristics of the informal entrepreneurs and their income. Purposive sampling was adopted to sample 384 informal respondents for the study and questionnaires were distributed accordingly. However, only 300 copies of the questionnaire were duly filled and returned, representing 78.13% of the total questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). It was discovered that men tend to participate more in informal entrepreneurship. More so, the study revealed that the informal urban entrepreneurs in Kaduna are taxpayers. Furthermore, inferential statistical tests revealed that gender and educational attainment are statistically significant determinants of the income of the informal urban entrepreneurs in Kaduna. It was therefore recommended that organized marketing space should be provided to these entrepreneurs and they should also be encouraged to acquire formal education. The need to study the impacts of location on informal entrepreneurship was also suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the views and experiences of rickshaw drivers in Hanoi regarding the tourism–poverty nexus. Observation, interview, and diary methods collected data from 58 drivers, of whom 28 worked for rickshaw companies (formal sector) and 30 were self-employed (informal sector). Formal drivers reported stable work and income and low rates of police confiscation, whereas informal drivers earned more money and had greater work flexibility but faced a higher risk of police confiscation. Although rickshaw driving has improved the living conditions of drivers' families, Hanoi has proposed a ban that would reduce their incomes. This study argues that considering the opinions of rickshaw drivers may clarify appropriate measures for poverty alleviation and rickshaw management. A paradigm shift is suggested, from quantitative analyses of poverty towards an understanding of poor people's lives, if tourism is to help alleviate poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Department of Chocó, Colombia, has the largest platinum alluvial extraction in Latin America, with gold as an associate metal. Such materials are extracted by informal artisanal and small-scale mining organizations. This text aims to examine the sustainable development of Chocó's mining, and takes the Department's dimensions as analytical units: The 'social' dimension shows how poverty is exacerbated. The 'environmental' dimension determines harms and risks in a megadiverse area, and the economic dimension 'economy' explains the dependency of informal mining and illegal activities. Thus, we argue, "The economic informality precludes the sustainable development of platinum and gold mining". Finally, we discuss insights for transformation change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on the female contribution in urban poverty reduction through informal activities. The objective of the study is to measure female contribution in household budget through informal employment opportunities. The universe of the study is the slum areas of Hyderabad District. The data is analyzed through ordinary least square method and descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics shows that young women contribute more in income earning activities and their contribution in the household budget rises gradually as their income rises. Burden of poverty, one of the most important variables has a significant effect on contribution of women. It is suggested that government should formulate policies relevant to informal employment opportunities of women and minimum wage legislation. Program should be initiated in order to enhance the skills of women and provide opportunities and credit facilities as well. Comprehensive labor legislation is required to ensure female workers' economic rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic, and pandemics in general, affect socioeconomically disadvantaged people more severely. This is due not only to their precarious living, health, and working conditions, but also to public actions and omissions. However, their plight remains mostly invisible to the public, governments, and legislators, which raises many questions regarding respect of their fundamental rights. In this contribution, I explore these questions in light of the European Convention on human Rights (ECHR). On the basis of the corpus of literature in the field and the European Court of human Rights (ECtHR) case law, I show that the Strasbourg Court has developed some protection for people in a precarious situation, especially under the prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment and the right to private and family life. This case law is likely to be relevant to the protection of socioeconomically underprivileged people during pandemics. however, this protection is limited and imbued with pitfalls. Against this background, I show that there is an urgent need for practitioners and courts to explore an additional tool under the ECHR: the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of socioeconomic status. This tool can be used to tackle issues of misrecognition which particularly affect socioeconomically underprivileged people, who are more severely affected by public actions and omissions in the context of the current pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]