ILO resources on Cooperatives and the Formalization of the Informal Economy

Workers in the informal economy are mostly involved in micro and small enterprises. In the majority of cases they are unprotected and have no formal recognition. They operate as individuals or in small groups, have no access to financial services, nor do they have representation or voice. They are susceptible to all kinds of risks and their transition from informality to formality is slow and dreary. Women, migrants and other vulnerable groups of workers who are excluded from other opportunities have little choice but to take informal low-quality jobs. The ILO considers cooperatives as instrumental in providing opportunities for productive and decent employment and improving the living and working conditions of workers in the informal economy. The following resources shed light on how cooperatives and social and solidarity economy organizations offer a dynamics of transition towards the formal economy.

Homeworkers and their families in Asahan, Malang and Surabaya, Indonesia

Resources from the SYNDICOOP project

Let’s organize! : a SYNDICOOP handbook for trade unions and cooperatives about organizing workers in the informal economy
 
Organizing out of poverty: stories from the grassroots: How the SYNDICOOP approach has worked in East Africa

The experience of SYNDICOOP in Africa: A model for trade union action?

Resources from the COOPAfrica project

The cooperative enterprise as a practical option for the formalization of informal economy

Capacity building of informal associations/groups through formation of cooperatives

Resources on domestic worker cooperatives

Cooperatives and the World of Work No.2 - Cooperating out of isolation: Domestic workers’ cooperatives. Available in: English, French, Spanish, Arabic

Cooperating Out of Isolation: The Case of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon, Jordan and Kuwait. Available in: English, Arabic

Resources on waste picker cooperatives

Tackling informality in e-waste management: The potential of cooperative enterprises. Available in: English, Spanish

Interview with Suman More, Solid Waste Collection and Handling (SWaCH)

Presentation of Suman More, SWaCH, Pune India at the ILC 2014 - Youtube video

Interview with Arbind Singh of the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI)