Abstract
Abstract:
Motivation: Formal social protection systems, such as health insurance and representation are often biased towards formal workers thereby excluding most of the world’s working population who make a living in the informal economy.
Purpose: This article develops existing critiques of the formality bias by turning an analytical lens towards the actual working reality and related social protection needs, coverage and challenges of people working in the informal economy in Kenya and Tanzania.
Approach and methods: Based on evidence from the micro-trade, construction, and transport sectors in Kenya and Tanzania, this article draws on qualitative and quantitative methods.
Three analytical aspects are identified that help elucidate the social insurance and representation needs and coverage-related challenges of people working informally: a) the governance of work; b) the organization of work relations; and c) collective agency.
Findings: Analysing these aspects, the article shows how formal social insurance and representational systems are not designed to fit the reality of most people working in the informal economy because they have been modelled on and designed to support workers in formal standard employment relations. At the same time, informal workers’ own associations play important roles in meeting - even if inadequately - the social insurance and representational needs of their members.
Policy implications: Meaningfully engaging with the governance of work; the organization of work relations; and collective agency in the informal economy is necessary to inform more appropriate policies and measures to provide informal workers with appropriate social protection measures, particularly social insurance and representation. Their reality should not have to conform to an inadequate model; rather the model should fit their reality.
Motivation: Formal social protection systems, such as health insurance and representation are often biased towards formal workers thereby excluding most of the world’s working population who make a living in the informal economy.
Purpose: This article develops existing critiques of the formality bias by turning an analytical lens towards the actual working reality and related social protection needs, coverage and challenges of people working in the informal economy in Kenya and Tanzania.
Approach and methods: Based on evidence from the micro-trade, construction, and transport sectors in Kenya and Tanzania, this article draws on qualitative and quantitative methods.
Three analytical aspects are identified that help elucidate the social insurance and representation needs and coverage-related challenges of people working informally: a) the governance of work; b) the organization of work relations; and c) collective agency.
Findings: Analysing these aspects, the article shows how formal social insurance and representational systems are not designed to fit the reality of most people working in the informal economy because they have been modelled on and designed to support workers in formal standard employment relations. At the same time, informal workers’ own associations play important roles in meeting - even if inadequately - the social insurance and representational needs of their members.
Policy implications: Meaningfully engaging with the governance of work; the organization of work relations; and collective agency in the informal economy is necessary to inform more appropriate policies and measures to provide informal workers with appropriate social protection measures, particularly social insurance and representation. Their reality should not have to conform to an inadequate model; rather the model should fit their reality.
Originalsprog | Engelsk |
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Artikelnummer | e12729 |
Tidsskrift | Development Policy Review |
Vol/bind | 42 |
Udgave nummer | 1 |
Antal sider | 19 |
ISSN | 0950-6764 |
DOI | |
Status | Udgivet - jan. 2024 |
Emneord
- informal economy
- informal work
- Kenya
- representation
- social insurance
- Tanzania