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

Thank you!Thank you!

http://www.unescap.org/stat/isie/http://www.unescap.org/stat/isie/