Project on Interregional Cooperation on Project on Interregional Cooperation on the Measurement of Informal Sector and the Measurement of Informal Sector and
Informal Employment Informal Employment
ESCWA Workshop on Informal Employment and Informal Sector Data ESCWA Workshop on Informal Employment and Informal Sector Data Collection:Collection:
Strategy, Tools and Advocacy for Palestine, Amman 13-15 April 2008Strategy, Tools and Advocacy for Palestine, Amman 13-15 April 2008
Nadine ShaarNadine ShaarESCWA Statistics ESCWA Statistics
DivisionDivision
Informal sector/employment mostly not covered in Informal sector/employment mostly not covered in official statisticsofficial statistics
Inadequate information available on contribution of Inadequate information available on contribution of informal sector to economic growthinformal sector to economic growth
Data collections typically ad hoc studies (i.e. not Data collections typically ad hoc studies (i.e. not part of regular national statistical systems) and part of regular national statistical systems) and with limited scope with limited scope
Data collected not internationally comparableData collected not internationally comparable No time series data availableNo time series data available Poor analysis and disseminationPoor analysis and dissemination
Why?Why?
Informal Sector (production):Informal Sector (production):•Significant underestimation of the Significant underestimation of the GDPGDP•Lack of info on the characteristics Lack of info on the characteristics of informal sector enterprises, in the of informal sector enterprises, in the use of technology, access to credit, use of technology, access to credit, training, markets, etc.training, markets, etc.•Lack of info on input-output Lack of info on input-output relations between formal and relations between formal and informal sector enterprisesinformal sector enterprises
Informal EmploymentInformal Employment::•Implausibly low labor participation Implausibly low labor participation rates, especially for women rates, especially for women •Lack of info on differentials in Lack of info on differentials in earnings and working conditions earnings and working conditions between formal/informal between formal/informal employment (poverty)employment (poverty)•Lack of info on different social Lack of info on different social protection arrangements covering protection arrangements covering formal/informal employmentformal/informal employment
Weaken the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies and programmes aimed at promoting gender equality,
eliminating child labour, generating decent work for all
and reducing poverty
Project FactsProject Facts Development Account Project: $800,000Development Account Project: $800,000 Duration: 2006-2009Duration: 2006-2009 Implementing agencies: ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWAImplementing agencies: ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWA Steering Committee: UNSD, Regional Steering Committee: UNSD, Regional
Commissions, ILO, Delhi Group and WIEGOCommissions, ILO, Delhi Group and WIEGO Country Partners:Country Partners:
ECLACECLAC: Saint Lucia: Saint Lucia ESCAPESCAP: Mongolia, Philippines, Sri Lanka: Mongolia, Philippines, Sri Lanka ESCWAESCWA: Palestine: Palestine
Project BeneficiariesProject Beneficiaries
statisticians
Public sector policy
makers
Researchers
International agencies
Private sector
Overall Goal:
Improve availability of informal sector and informal employment
data
1. Raise the awareness among the NSOs & the Governments of developing countries on the importance of collecting & disseminating data on the informal sector
2. Improve technical capacity in the NSOs to collect, compile, analyze & disseminate data on the informal economy in line with international methodological standards
1. Advocacy2. Capacity
building 3. Data collection
4. Data analysis & Dissemination
5. Knowledge management
ProjectProject ActivitiesActivities1. Advocacy1. Advocacy
2. Statistical 2. Statistical capacity capacity buildingbuilding
3. Collection 3. Collection of dataof data
4. Data analysis 4. Data analysis & &
disseminatiodisseminationn
5. Knowledge 5. Knowledge managementmanagement
Activities
StrategyStrategy
Partnership approachPartnership approach Integrated approachIntegrated approach
Scope of statistics coveredScope of statistics covered Range of activitiesRange of activities
Adapt the activities to the level of Adapt the activities to the level of development of the national statistical systemdevelopment of the national statistical system
Coordinate with future national and global Coordinate with future national and global statistical initiativesstatistical initiatives
Ensure the consistency with official data Ensure the consistency with official data sources at national level and with sources at national level and with international standards (e.g. revised SNA)international standards (e.g. revised SNA)
Expected OutputsExpected Outputs
In-country workshop to raise awareness/fundingIn-country workshop to raise awareness/funding
Data on informal employment and informal sectorData on informal employment and informal sector
Estimations of the contribution of informal sector Estimations of the contribution of informal sector to employment and GDPto employment and GDP
Expected OutputsExpected Outputs
Country Reports on:Country Reports on: 1-2 survey methodology and its 1-2 survey methodology and its
implementationimplementation Estimation methodology and Estimation methodology and
estimates of informal employment and estimates of informal employment and employment in the informal sectoremployment in the informal sector
Estimation methodology and Estimation methodology and estimates and NA estimates of estimates and NA estimates of informal sector GDPinformal sector GDP
1-2 survey data analysis for 1-2 survey data analysis for dissemination dissemination
Overall funds for ESCWA Overall funds for ESCWA $179,000$179,000
Country grant $64,000Country grant $64,000
FundingFunding
Project TimelineData collectionData collection TimelineTimeline
a) Prepare & customise methodological guidelines on data collection
Q2 2008
b) Adopt guidelines & finalize operational plans
Q2 2008
c) Data collection by countries
Q2 2008-Q4 2008
d) Prepare & submit final reports on data collection
Q1 2009
Project TimelineData analysis & Data analysis & DisseminationDissemination
TimelineTimeline
a) Customize guidelines on estimation & analysis & dissemination plan
Q3-Q4 2008
b) Preparation of tables, generation of estimates & development of country databases
Q1-Q2 2009
c) Analysis & dissemination of country reports, dissemination of results at a country level & integration of country databases in ILO common database
Q2-Q4 2009
Project TimelineWorkshopsWorkshops TimelineTimeline
a) In-country advocacy workshop
Q1 2008
b) Regional workshop on the measurement of informal sector and employment
Q1 2009
c) Regional workshop on measurement of informal sector GDP
Q2 2009
d) Final interregional workshop Q3 2009