A significant percentage of the global work force still continues to work and earn livelihoods in the “informal economy”. This percentage remains highest in developing countries in all regions, ranging from 35 to 90 percent of total employment but it has been increasing in transition countries. The wage employees, self-employed and micro-entrepreneurs in the informal economy are often subjected to multiple deficits in decent work and remain outside the effective reach of mainstream development resources, services and labour market institutions.
The Department in collaboration with other technical and field units facilitates an integrated approach to analyzing the determinants of formality and informality in specific country and regional contexts and to support the development of appropriate policies and strategies to support transition to formality. The overarching framework is provided by the 2002 ILC Resolution and Conclusions on Decent Work and Informal Economy.