The Reframing Informality for Economic Recovery project is designed to bring workers in informal employment into economic policies on terms that support their agency.

In this 2023-2027 project, WIEGO, HomeNet International, the International Alliance of Waste Pickers, StreetNet International, the India Academy of Self-Employed Women, and SEWA Bharat collaborate to:

Forge a united vision to debunk the pervasive misconceptions surrounding informality.
Establish coordinated structures and strategies for impactful policy advocacy and communication.
Harness resources and opportunities across networks to strategically influence policy reform that supports workers in informal employment.
Support women workers to build their identity, agency and leadership.
Establish the WIEGO School for workers.

Reframing Informality for Economic Recovery’s interventions aim to eliminate the term “shadow economy” from the lexicon of international financial institutions as it obscures the realities of a significant segment of the workforce.

We have a three-pronged approach (elevate, build and influence) for changing the narrative around informality and enhancing workers’ employment conditions.

All global networks of workers in informal employment collaborate to elevate their significance and advocate for their labour rights.
It is essential to build strategic alliances through collaboration in policy forums, negotiating with governments, and engaging with employers.
Strategically influence public, private and civil society decision-making to support workers’ demands.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Knowledge Production and Sharing
- Undertake action-oriented research on themes including the social and solidarity economy, global supply chains, and gender-based violence in the workplace.
- Provide gender-responsive, youth-responsive, comparative and field-informed technical expertise on economic policies.
- Establish thematic working groups and online discussions, collaborating with key partners.
Strengthening Capacity and Learning
- Strengthen workers’ understanding of international standards as defined in ILO Conventions and articulate trends on key themes.
- Promote the use of gender and intersectionality lenses.
- Use toolkits and peer learning to promote and secure workers’ rights.
- Enhance the leadership of women and young people within organizations and networks.
- Develop worker materials and drive innovative learning opportunities through the WIEGO School.
Advocacy and Communications
- At the global level, the Reframing Informality for Economic Recovery initiative builds alliances through coordinating targeted actions to promote workers’ rights. It liaises with trade unions, advocacy groups and other organizations. Global activities focus on awareness raising and advocacy in a broad range of frameworks and domains, particularly the International Labour Conference, UN Plastic Treaty negotiations, OECD, International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
- At the regional level, WIEGO and the global networks of workers in informal employment support commitment-based efforts to facilitate interaction among membership-based organizations and regional trade unions and support the lead organizations to steer training and capacity building on major ILO Conventions, including C177, C189 and C190.
- At the national level, led by the global networks, interventions have a strong women’s leadership component. Activities include technical support in using international tools and instruments in national policy forums and promoting linkages to regional and global advocacy.

Reframing Informality for Economic Recovery

The Reframing Informality for Economic Recovery project is designed to bring workers in informal employment into economic policies on terms that support their agency.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Knowledge Production and Sharing

Strengthening Capacity and Learning

Advocacy and Communications

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