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Precarious Labour in Asia: Exploring Challenges and Solution to Labour Insecurity through Case-Study-Based Evidence from 8 Asian Countries

Project description

A closer look at global informal employment challenges

With over two billion workers engaged in the informal economy worldwide, the ramifications of informal employment are profound. These changes are exacerbated by factors like climate change and the COVID-19 crisis. In response, the MSCA-funded PRELAB project aims to address this pressing issue by partnering with academic and development organisations. Specifically, it will focus on training researchers, adapting methodologies, and fostering dialogue to measure and combat informality globally. By bridging research with practical application, PRELAB strives to mitigate the disproportionate impact of informal employment, particularly in developing economies. Through collaboration with policymakers and businesses, PRELAB seeks to enact meaningful change and promote sustainable development on a global scale.

Objective

A recent ILO report estimates that two billion workers are active in the informal economy. The relevance of the phenomenon is even higher if the secondary effects of informal employment are considered and is likely to get worse, given that climate change has come to increasingly affect those living in conditions of vulnerability, pushing more people into the informal sector. Although informal economic activity is widely present in Europe and North America, constituting around 20% of the national GDP, developing and emerging economies suffer disproportionately from this phenomenon. For example, the ILO estimates that Africa, Asia and Latin America host 93% of the world’s informal employment and have been on the rise due to the Covid-19 crisis. Altogether, the World Bank and ILO estimate that almost a billion people entered precarious work because of the pandemic, with women and young people being the most affected categories. PRELAB network includes academic and development organisations, all with a major focus on informality and development, to: 1) Train researchers in methodologies to measure informality in a global perspective; 2) Conceptualise ways to apply qualitative and quantitative methodologies that were successfully used Eastern Europe and Central Asia to our target countries in the Asia Pacific region; 3) Produce a consistent narrative on how to measure and tackle informality in emerging economies; and 4) Engage with policymakers and business actors, in addition to the scientific community, to identify ways to apply these approaches into development practice worldwide.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-SE - HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff Exchanges

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2022-SE-01

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Coordinator

LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATE
Net EU contribution
€ 184 000,00
Total cost
No data

Participants (9)

Partners (10)