世界银行-了解伊拉克的城市非正规性：非正规部门企业调查的结果（英）-2023-57页_2mb

Understanding Urban Informality in Iraq: Summary of Informal Sector Enterprise Survey (ISES) Findings

Key Findings

• Urban Informal Businesses are Critical for Household Welfare

  • About 88% of businesses are owned by men, and women face additional challenges such as limited access to finances and lower sales.
  • Three-quarters of owners live in households where their business is the primary income source.
  • Average workers per business: 2.24 (1 is typically a family member).

• Businesses Face Significant Challenges

  • Education and Experience: Owners have limited education (avg. 6.6 years of experience). Many started as employees.
  • Financing: 83% use personal savings; bank accounts and formal loans are rare. Digital literacy is low.
  • Infrastructure: Electricity, water, and digital access are major constraints.

• Informality Hurdles: Registration Issues

  • Financial constraints (taxes, bribes) and lack of trust in authorities are major reasons for non-registration.
  • Over 60% of businesses avoid taxes; many see no benefit in registering.

• Gender Differences in Ownership

  • Women-owned businesses are fewer (6%), operate with fewer workers, but exhibit higher adaptability and better record-keeping.
  • They often start businesses due to convenience rather than desperation and benefit from digital tools like mobile money.

• Policy Recommendations

  • Protect: Implement social assistance programs inclusive of informal workers.
  • Promote: Expand access to training (technical, financial, digital) and microfinance.
  • Enforce: Target higher-income informal businesses with gradual, transparent reforms to reduce informality.