英文_ILO_亚洲及太平洋地区正规化的创新方法_向国际劳工组织亚洲及太平洋三方区域知识中心提交的背景报告_70页_5mb

X Innovative approaches to formalization in Asia and the Pacific

Background

Asia and the Pacific employ about 1.3 billion informal workers (66% of total employment), making it a global hotspot for informality. Despite progress (e.g., 7pp reduction in informal employment share over the past two decades), advancements stalled post-COVID-19, exacerbated by slowed growth. This report is a background document for the ILO Asia-Pacific Tripartite Regional Knowledge Sharing Forum, focused on accelerating formalization through integrated, evidence-based, and innovative approaches, aligning with ILO Recommendation No. 204 and SDG 8.3.

Key Challenges

1. Persisting Informality:

   • Region ranks second globally in informality incidence (83% in Africa, 58% global average).
   • Drivers include low productivity, weak governance, limited access to finance/technology, and gaps in legal/regulatory frameworks.

2. Governance Gaps:

   • Limited tripartite structures (governments, employers, workers) to coordinate formalization efforts; few countries have dedicated strategies.
   • Inadequate data systems and diagnostics hinder policy design and monitoring.

Innovative and Integrated Approaches

1. Governance and Coordination:

   • Establish robust tripartite bodies (e.g., Nepal’s National Action Plan on Formalization).
   • Strengthen evidence-based policymaking through Labour Force Surveys (LFS) and sectoral diagnostics (e.g., India’s COVID-impact studies).

2. Structural Transformation and Productivity:

   • Simplify registration processes (e.g., Vietnam’s digital reforms, Mongolia’s e-formalization).
   • Promote digital tools for OSH, tax collection, and social protection (e.g., Vanuatu’s mobile payment system for social security).

3. Social Protection and Decent Work:

   • Extend social security and minimum wage policies (e.g., Thailand’s labor reforms for domestic workers, India’s e-Shram portal).
   • Target vulnerable groups (women, youth, informal workers) through capacity-building and unionization (e.g., SEWA in India).

4. Integrated Strategies:

   • Combine digitalization, regulatory simplification, and sector-specific interventions (e.g., China’s platform worker protections, Sri Lanka’s home-based worker initiatives).

Recommendations

1. Governance:

   • Foster tripartite dialogue and national strategies for formalization.
   • Harmonize statistical methodologies for better data comparability and monitoring.

2. Technology:

   • Scale e-government platforms to streamline registration and compliance.
   • Promote digital solutions for social protection and labor inspections.

3. Policy Integration:

   • Align structural transformation, sectoral policies, and social protection to address root causes of informality.
   • Balance incentives (e.g., tax breaks) with enforcement mechanisms (e.g., labor inspections).

4. Capacity Building:

   • Train informal workers and enterprises on formalization processes and labor rights.
   • Strengthen institutional coordination at local and national levels.

Emerging Issues

• Platform Work: Address informalization in digital economies (e.g., gig workers).
• Climate Change: Integrate environmental resilience into formalization strategies.
• Leaving No One Behind: Prioritize vulnerable groups (women, youth, informal workers) in policy design.

Conclusion

Accelerated formalization in Asia and the Pacific is critical for decent work, sustainable enterprises, and global SDG achievement. Integrated approaches, digital innovation, and inclusive governance are key to overcoming systemic barriers, though sustained efforts and stakeholder coordination are essential.