Social Protection Spotlight Brief
Social Health Protection and the Informal Economy
Workers in the informal economy and their families often face a lack of social health protection coverage globally. This brief outlines the policy pathways needed to extend social health protection to workers in the informal economy and their families.
This brief succinctly presents the relationship between informality, health and social policies before identifying concrete pathways for an effective response to extend social health protection coverage to workers in the informal economy, as well as their families, and promote the transition to the formal economy.
By presenting concrete country examples and highlighting principles grounded in international social security standards, the brief provides guidance for governments and social partners seeking to advance universal social health protection and support the transition from the informal to the formal economy. The publication reviews the major legal, financial and administrative barriers that keep millions uncovered and identifies practical policy options to close these gaps.