WIEGO Briefs provide user-friendly documentation for those involved in advocacy, policy and research on the informal economy.
Policy Briefs
Policy Briefs offer information on policies and organizational practices that affect the informal economy. This series supports advocacy processes and disseminates better practices and ideas, contributing to a worker- and livelihood-centred approach to development.
Sinha, Shalini, Malavika Narayan and Avi Majithia. August 2022. Claiming Space for Informal Work in Master Planning: Reflections from a People’s Campaign in Delhi. WIEGO Policy Brief No. 28.
WIEGO and IDWF. 2021. Domestic Workers and Social Protection in Nagaland. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 27
WIEGO and IDWF. 2021. Domestic Workers and Social Protection in Kerala State. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 26
WIEGO and IDWF. 2021. Domestic Workers and Social Protection in Bihar State. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 25
WIEGO and IDWF. 2021. Domestic Workers and Social Protection in Madhya Pradesh. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 24
WIEGO and IDWF. 2021. Domestic Workers and Social Protection in Tamil Nadu. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 23
Skinner, Caroline, Jane Barrett, Laura Alfers and Michael Rogan. 2021. Informal Work in South Africa and COVID-19: Gendered Impacts and Priority Interventions. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 22
WIEGO, IDWF, SEWA. 2020. Domestic Workers, Risk & Social Protection in Delhi National Capital Region. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 21
WIEGO and IDWF. 2020. Domestic Workers, Risk and Social Protection in Nepal. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 20
WIEGO and IDWF. 2020. The Costs of Insecurity: Domestic Workers’ Access to Social Protection and Services in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 19 (Available in English and Bengali)
Summary (Bengali) Download (Bengali)
Alfers, Laura and Chidchanok Samantrakul. 2019. Integrating Occupational Health into Public Health Provision: The Case of HomeNet Thailand. Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 18
Castaño, Pablo. 2018. Laws, Legitimacy and Ongoing Struggle: Lessons from Bolivian Policies on Domestic Workers’ Rights. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 17
Yasmeen, Gisèle and Narumol Nirathron. 2014. Vending in Public Space: The Case of Bangkok. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 16
Sinha, Shalini. 2013. Housing and Urban Service Needs of Home-Based Workers: Findings from a Seven-Country Study. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 15
Obino, Francesco. 2013. Housing Finance for Poor Working Women: Innovations of the Self-Employed Women’s Association in India. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 14
Sinha, Shalini. 2013. Supporting Women Home-Based Workers: The Approach of the Self-Employed Women's Association in India. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 13
Heintz, James and Shahra Razavi. 2012. Social Policy and Employment: Rebuilding the Connections. WIEGO Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 12
Alfers, Laura and Francie Lund. 2012. Participatory Policy Making: Lessons from Thailand's Universal Coverage Scheme. WIEGO Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 11
Jain, Kaipana. 2012. Health Insurance in India: The Rashtriya Bima Yojana. WIEGO Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 10
Alfers, Laura. 2012. The Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme: Assessing Access by Informal Workers. WIEGO Policy Brief (Social Protection) No. 9
Chikarmane, Poornima. 2012. Integrating Waste Pickers into Municipal Solid Waste Management in Pune, India. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 8
Kumar, Randhir. 2012. The Regularization of Street Vending in Bhubaneshwar, India: A Policy Model. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 7
Dias, Sonia. 2011. Overview of the Legal Framework for Inclusion of Informal Recyclers in Solid Waste Management in Brazil. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 6
Dias, Sonia. 2011. The Municipal Waste and Citizenship Forum: A Platform for Social Inclusion and Participation. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 5
Dias, Sonia. 2011. Integrating Informal Workers into Selective Waste Collection: The Case of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 4
Dias, Sonia. 2011. Recycling in Belo Horizonte, Brazil – An Overview of Inclusive Programming. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 3
Sinha, Shalini and Sally Roever. 2011. India’s National Policy on Urban Street Vendors. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 2
Rusling, Sara. 2010. Approaches to Basic Service Delivery for the Working Poor: Assessing the Impact of Mahila Housing Trust’s Parivartan Slum Upgrading Programme in Ahmedabad, India. WIEGO Policy Brief (Urban Policies) No. 1
Organizing Briefs
Organizing Briefs contain information on organizing strategies and practices in the informal economy. This series aims to support organizing efforts and disseminate better practices.
Khan, Zehra and Krithika Dinesh. 2022. The Journey from “Factories in Homes” to Legal Recognition and Rights for Home-Based Workers in Pakistan. WIEGO Organizing (Law) Brief No. 13
Pillay, Vanessa and Edwin Bett. 2022. Supporting self-organization of home-based workers in Africa: Lessons learned. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 12
Devlin, Ryan Thomas. 2021. Winning a Right to the Sidewalks: Street Vendors in New York. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 11
Castaño, Pablo. 2018. The Mobilization of Bolivian Domestic Workers. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 10
Budlender, Debbie. 2013. Informal Workers and Collective Bargaining: Five Case Studies. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 9
Carré, Françoise. 2013. Defining and Categorizing Organizations of Informal Workers in Developing and Developed Countries. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 8
Spooner, Dave. 2013. Challenges and Experiences in Organizing Home-Based Workers in Bulgaria. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 7
Allen, Charlotte and Elísio Jossias. 2011. Mapping of the Policy Context and Catadores Organizations in Maputo, Mozambique. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 6
Samson, Melanie. 2010. Organizing Reclaimers in Tshwane, South Africa: Lessons from Top Down and Bottom Up Experiences. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 5
Benson, Koni & Nandi Vanqa-Mgijima. 2010. Organizing on the Streets: A Study of Reclaimers in the Streets of Cape Town. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 4
Theron, Jan. 2010. Options for Organizing Waste Pickers in South Africa. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 3
Roever, Sally. 2010. Organising Street Vendors: ‘Gente de Confiar’ Radio Programme, Lima, Peru. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 2
Roever, Sally. and Lissette A. Linares. 2010. Street Vendors Organising: The Case of the Women’s Network (Red de Mujeres), Lima, Peru. WIEGO Organizing Brief No. 1
Statistical Briefs
Statistical Briefs 1) provide statistics on the informal economy and categories of informal workers in accessible formats at the regional, country and city levels; or 2) describe the methods for the collection, tabulation and/or analysis of statistics.
Parra, Federico and Joann Vanek. 2023. The Collection of Data on Waste Pickers in Colombia, 2012-2022. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 35.
Ramírez, Tomás, Renato Carcelén, Carmen Roca and Joann Vanek. Informal Workers in Peru: A Statistical Profile, 2015–2021. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 34
Ramírez, Tomás, Renato Carcelén, Carmen Roca y Joann Vanek. Personas trabajadoras en empleo informal en el Perú: Un perfil estadístico, 2015 – 2021. WIEGO Nota estadística N.º 34
Bouvier, Mathilde, Joann Vanek and François Roubaud. Informal Workers in Brazil: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 33
Bouvier, Mathilde, Joann Vanek and François Roubaud. Pessoas em emprego informal no Brasil: Um perfil estatístico. WIEGO Resumo estatístico n.° 33
Bonnet, Florence, Françoise Carré and Joann Vanek. Domestic Workers in the World: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 32
Bonnet, Florence, Françoise Carré and Joann Vanek. Las personas trabajadoras del hogar en el mundo: un perfil estadístico. WIEGO Nota estadística N.º 32
Bonnet, Florence, Françoise Carré and Joann Vanek. Travailleuse·eur·s Domestiques dans le Monde: Un Profil Statistique. WIEGO Note d’information statistique nº 32
Gayatri Koolwal. 2022. Informal Workers in Senegal: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 31
Koolwal, Gayatri. 2022. Les travailleur·euse·s de l’informel au Sénégal : profil statistique. WIEGO. Note d’information statistique nº 31
José de Jesús Luján Salazar and Joann Vanek. 2022. Informal Workers in Chile: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 30
José de Jesús Luján Salazar y Joann Vanek. 2022. Personas trabajadoras en empleo informal en Chile: Un perfil estadístico. WIEGO Nota estadística No 30
Bouvier, Mathilde and Sonia Dias. 2021. Waste Pickers in Brazil: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 29
Bouvier, Mathilde and Sonia Dias. 2021. Catadores de materiais recicláveis no Brasil: um perfil estatístico. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 29
Koolwal, Gayatri and Joann Vanek. 2021. Home-Based Workers in Nepal, 2017/18: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 28
Florence Bonnet, Françoise Carré, Martha Chen and Joann Vanek. 2021. Home-based Workers in the World: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 27
Sajjad Akhtar. 2020. Home-based Workers in Pakistan: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 26
Gayatri Koolwal and Joann Vanek. 2020. Home-based Workers in Bangladesh: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 25
Govindan Raveendran and Joann Vanek. 2020. Informal Workers in India: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 24
Govindan Raveendran. 2020. Home-based Workers in India: A Statistical Profile. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 23
José de Jesús Luján Salazar & Joann Vanek. 2020. Informal Workers in Mexico: A Statistical Snapshot. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 22
José de Jesús Luján Salazar & Joann Vanek. 2020. Personas trabajadoras en empleo informal en México: Un panorama estadístico. Nota estadística No 22.
William Baah-Boateng & Joann Vanek. 2020. Informal Workers in Ghana: A Statistical Snapshot. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 21
Wissanee Poonsab, Joann Vanek, Françoise Carré. 2019. Informal Workers in Urban Thailand: A Statistical Snapshot. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 20
Rogan, Mike. 2019. Informal Workers in Urban South Africa: A Statistical Snapshot. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 19
Raveendran, Govindan. 2017. Women and Men Operators of Enterprises in India’s Informal Sector. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 18
Carré, Françoise, Rodrigo Negrete and Joann Vanek. 2017. Considerations for Revision of the International Classification of Status in Employment - ICSE-93. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 17
Aliaga Linares, Lissette. 2017. Statistics on Street Vendors and Market Traders in Metropolitan Lima and Urban Peru. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 16
Carré, Françoise, Rodrigo Negrete and Joann Vanek. 2016. Relating Quality of Employment to Informal Employment. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 15
Mehran, Farhad. 2015. Are Differences in National Definitions of Informal Employment and Employment in the Informal Sector Necessary? WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 14
Mehran, Farhad. 2014. Measurement of Employment-Related Income: Concepts, Data Sources and a Test of Methods. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 13
Mahmud, Simeen. 2014. Home-Based Workers in Bangladesh: Statistics and Trends. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 12
Raveendran, Govindan and Joann Vanek. 2013. Statistics on Home-Based Workers in Nepal. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 11
Raveendran, Govindan, Ratna M. Sudarshan and Joann Vanek. 2013. Home-Based Workers in India: Statistics and Trends. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 10
Akhtar, Sajjad and Joann Vanek. 2013. Home-Based Workers in Pakistan: Statistics and Trends. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 9
Vanek, Joann, Martha Chen, and Govindan Raveendran. 2012. (updated May 2015). A Guide to Obtaining Data on Types of Informal Workers in Official Statistics. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 8
Budlender, Debbie. 2011. Measuring Informal Employment in South Africa: The New Quarterly Labour Force Survey. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 7
Budlender, Debbie. 2011. Statistics on Informal Employment in Ghana. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 6
Budlender, Debbie. 2011. Statistics on Informal Employment in Kenya. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 5
Budlender, Debbie. 2011. Statistics on Informal Employment in Brazil. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 4
Budlender, Debbie. 2011. Statistics on Informal Employment in South Africa. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 3
Dias, Sonia. 2011. Statistics on Waste Pickers in Brazil. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 2
Tokman, Victor. 2010. Statistics on Domestic Workers in Latin America. WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 1
Technical Briefs
Technical Briefs provide guides for both specialized and non-specialized audiences. These are designed to strengthen understanding and analysis of the situation of those working in the informal economy as well as of the policy environment and policy options.
Cass Talbott, Taylor, Pinky Chandran, Cecilia Allen, Lakshmi Narayan and Owusu Boampong. 2022. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Waste Pickers. WIEGO Technical Brief No. 15.
Cass Talbott, Taylor, Pinky Chandran, Cecilia Allen, Lakshmi Narayan and Owusu Boampong. 2022. La Responsabilidad Extendida del Productor (REP) y las personas recicladoras. Nota estadística de WIEGO n.º15.
Cass Talbott, Taylor, Pinky Chandran, Cecilia Allen, Lakshmi Narayan and Owusu Boampong. 2022. La Responsabilité élargie des producteurs (REP) et les récupératrice·eur·s de matériaux. Note d’information technique de WIEGO nº 15.
Julia Mareike Wegmann, Sonia Medina Cardona y Adriana Pérez Campos. 2022. Trabajo en el espacio público y movilidad: herramientas para la coexistencia de dos derechos en la Ciudad de México. Nota técnica de WIEGO No. 14.
Joanne Lees, Richard Dobson. 2021. Inclusive Public Space Planning & Design: Lessons from Asiye eTafuleni, Durban, South Africa. WIEGO Technical Brief No. 13.
Parra, Federico and Olga Abizaid. 2021. Formalization as Public Service Providers: Achievements and Obstacles for Colombia’s Waste Pickers. WIEGO Technical Brief No. 12.
Federico Parra y Olga Abizaid. 2021. La formalización de la población recicladora en Colombia como prestadora del servicio público de reciclaje. Logros, oportunidades, restricciones y amenazas. Nota técnica da WIEGO No. 12.
IJgosse, Jeroen. 2018. Waste Incineration and Informal Livelihoods: A Technical Guide on Waste-to-Energy Initiatives. WIEGO Technical Brief No. 11.
IJgosse, Jeroen. 2019. Incineração de resíduos e Catadores: Um guia técnico sobre tecnologias de recuperação energética de resíduos sólidos. Nota técnica da WIEGO No. 11.
IJgosse, Jeroen. 2019. Incineración y población recicladora: Una guía técnica sobre “aprovechamiento energético” (waste-to-energy) de residuos. Nota técnica de WIEGO No. 11.
Kohn, Lauren. 2017. Using Administrative Law to Secure Informal Livelihoods: Lessons from South Africa. WIEGO Technical Brief No. 10.
Parra, Federico. 2015. “Reciclaje: ¡Sí, pero con recicladores!”. Gestión pública del aprovechamiento con inclusión de recicladores: Un nuevo paradigma en el manejo de los residuos en Bogotá, Colombia. Nota técnica de WIEGO No. 9.
Nohn, Matthias and Bijal Brahm Bhatt. 2014. How to Assess Security of Tenure and Emulate Mortgages for Financing Semi-Formal Homes: Lessons from Mahila Housing SEWA Trust. WIEGO Technical Brief No. 8.
Achtell, Ernest. 2013. Waste Pickers and Carbon Finance: Issues to Consider. WIEGO Technical Brief No. 7.
IJgosse, Jeroen. 2012. Paying Waste Pickers for Environmental Services: A Critical Examination of Options Proposed in Brazil. WIEGO Technical Brief (Urban Policies) No. 6.
Robbins, Glen. 2012. Major International Events and the Working Poor: Selected Lessons for Social Actors Stemming from the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa. WIEGO Technical Brief (Urban Policies) No. 5.
Chan, Man-Kwun. 2012. Making Agricultural Value Chain Programmes Work for Workers: A Practical Guide for Development Donors and Practitioners. WIEGO Technical Brief (Global Trade) No. 4.
Nohn, Matthias. 2011. Mixed-Use Zoning and Home-Based Production in India. WIEGO Technical Brief (Urban Policies) No. 3.
Roever, Sally. 2011. How to Plan a Street Trader Census. WIEGO Technical Brief (Urban Policies) No. 2.
Budlender, Debbie. 2009. How to Analyse Government Budgets from an Informal Economy Perspective. WIEGO Technical Brief No. 1.
Budget Briefs
Budget Briefs are popular versions of longer informal economy budget analyses (IEBA). Budget analysis aims to understand how government budgets address the needs and interests of informal workers, and also investigate what opportunities exist for informal workers, or their representatives, to participate at different stages of the budget process.
Budlender, Debbie. 2019. Budgeting and the Informal Economy in Lilongwe, Malawi. WIEGO Budget Brief No. 8
Budlender, Debbie. 2017. Informal Economy Budget Analysis in Greater Monrovia. WIEGO Budget Brief No. 7
Budlender, Debbie. 2015. Budgeting and the Informal Economy in Durban, South Africa. WIEGO Budget Brief No. 6
Budlender, Debbie. 2015. Budgeting and the Informal Economy in Accra, Ghana. WIEGO Budget Brief No. 5
Budlender, Debbie. 2009. Informal Economy Budget Analysis in Brazil and Belo Horizonte. WIEGO Budget Brief No. 4
Budlender, Debbie. 2009. Informal Economy Budget Analysis in Pakistan and Ravi Town, Lahore. WIEGO Budget Brief No. 3
Budlender, Debbie. 2009. Informal Economy Budget Analysis in Peru and Metropolitan Lima. WIEGO Budget Brief No. 2
Budlender, Debbie. 2009. Informal Economy Budget Analysis in Philippines and Quezon City. WIEGO Budget Brief No. 1
Law and Informality Insights
Law and Informality Insights reflect on our work supporting informal worker organisations to know, use and shape the law, and analyse statutory developments, law-making processes and jurisprudence that impact informal workers and their advocacy strategies. In 2019 they replaced our legal briefs.
Aminta Ossom, 2023. Defending Waste Pickers’ Livelihoods: Lessons from Litigation in Latin America. Law & Informality Insights, No. 7
Aminta Ossom, 2023. Perspectivas sobre derecho e informalidad n.o 7 – Marzo de 2023. Perspectivas sobre derecho e informalidad n.o 7
Aminta Ossom, 2023. Défendre les moyens de subsistance des récupératrice·eur·s de matériaux : leçons tirées des litiges en Amérique latine. Réflexions sur le droit et l’informalité, No. 7
Marlese von Broembsen, 2022. Una cadena es tan sólida como su eslabón más débil: estrategias para incluir a las personas contratistas dependientes en domicilio en la legislación internacional de las cadenas de suministro. Perspectivas sobre derecho e informalidad, No. 6
Marlese von Broembsen, 2022. A chain is as strong as its weakest link: Strategies for international supply chain legislation to include homeworkers. Law and Informality Insights, No. 6
Teresa Marchiori, 2022. La abogacía del movimiento social: una reflexión sobre la naturaleza del derecho y la abogacía a través de la óptica de las personas trabajadoras en empleo informal. Perspectivas sobre derecho e informalidad, No. 5
Teresa Marchiori, 2022. La pratique du droit au service des mouvements sociaux : une réflexion sur la nature du droit et sur la pratique du droit à travers le regard des travailleuse·eur·s de l’informel. Réflexions sur le droit et l’informalité, No. 5
Teresa Marchiori, 2022. Social Movement Lawyering: A Reflection on the Nature of Law and Lawyering Through the Lens of Informal Workers. Law and Informality Insights, No. 5
Dinesh, Krithika, Pamhidzai Bamu, Roopa Madhav, Teresa Marchiori and Marlese von Broembsen, 2021. Re-examining Legal Narratives on Vagrancy, Public Spaces and Colonial Constructs: A Commentary on the ACHPR’s Advisory Opinion on Vagrancy Laws in Africa. Law and Informality Insights, No. 4
Idiculla, Mathew et Roopa Madhav, 2021. El “derecho a la ciudad” y la jurisprudencia emergente en India:Implicancias sobre los medios de subsistencia informales. Reflexiones sobre derecho e informalidad, No. 3
Idiculla, Mathew et Roopa Madhav, 2021. Le « droit à la ville » et la jurisprudence émergente : implications pour les moyens de subsistance informels. Réflexions sur le droit et l’informalité, No. 3
Idiculla, Mathew and Roopa Madhav, 2021. The “Right to the City” and Emerging Indian Jurisprudence: Implications for Informal Livelihoods. Law and Informality Insights, No.3
Pamhidzai Bamu, 2020. El impacto jurídico de la COVID-19 sobre las personas trabajadoras en empleo informal: Revisión de 51 países. Reflexiones sobre derecho e informalidad, No.2
Pamhidzai Bamu, 2020. L’impact des lois adoptées dans le cadre de la COVID-19 sur les travailleuse·eur·s de l’informel : Un examen de 51 pays. Réflexions sur le droit et l’informalité, No. 2
Pamhidzai Bamu, 2020. The Impact of COVID-19 Laws on Informal Workers: A Review of 51 Countries. Law and Informality Insights, No. 2.
El Programa de Derecho, 2019. Publicaciones recientes y recursos centrados en la obtención de reconocimiento y derechos laborales para las trabajadoras y trabajadores en empleo informal. Reflexiones sobre derecho e informalidad, No. 1
Le programme Droit, 2019. Reconnaissance et droits des travailleuses et travailleurs de l'informel : Publications récentes et ressources. Réflexions sur le droit et l’informalité, No. 1
Law programme, 2019. Informal Workers Gaining Recognition and Rights as Workers: Recent Publications and Resources. Law and Informality Insights, No.1.
Nyamb, Jacques Jonathan and Teresa Marchiori. 2019. Turning the Law into a Shield for Street Vendors in African Countries. WIEGO Legal Brief No. 4.
Bruno Miragaia Souza, Juliana Avanci, Luciana Itikawa. 2013. A Experiência de Advocacy no caso dos Trabalhadores Ambulantes em São Paulo. WIEGO Relatórios Jurídicos No. 3
Corrarino, Megan. 2012. Using the Right to Information in the Informal Economy: A How-To Guide. WIEGO Legal Brief No. 2
Sankaran, Kamala and Roopa Madhav. 2013. Legal and Policy Tools to Meet Informal Workers' Demands: Lessons from India. WIEGO Legal Brief No. 1