The 10-city Informal Economy Monitoring Study (IEMS) evaluates the realities that informal workers face. Qualitative and quantitative research methods together have provided an in-depth understanding of how home-based workers, street vendors, and waste pickers are affected by economic trends, urban policies and practices, value chain dynamics, and other economic and social forces.

The urban poor – the majority of whom work informally – are at significant risk from the increased intensity and frequency of storms, flooding, landslides, heat waves and constraints on fresh water associated with climate change.² And as a changing climate drives more of the rural poor into cities, the urban working poor face increasing competition.

Association of Home-Based Workers, Bulgaria (AHBW)

The Association of Home-Based Workers was registered in Bulgaria in 2002. In its work in support of Home-Based Workers, AHBW participates in a variety of organizing, advocacy and educational activities. One of AHBW’s main activities is organizing awareness events for home-based workers and others. They also do research and work on improving qualifications of unemployed people and home-based workers.

Special Issue of Environment & Urbanization on Urban Livelihoods