【ILO】英文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_71页_5mb

Summary of "Innovative approaches to formalization in Asia and the Pacific"

Core Content

This report, prepared by the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, provides an overview of innovative approaches to formalization in the region, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in transitioning from the informal to the formal economy. It serves as a background document for the ILO Asia and the Pacific Tripartite Regional Knowledge Sharing Forum and aims to support the development of a global roadmap for accelerating formalization.

Main Points

• Informal Economy Overview:

  • Asia and the Pacific region is home to approximately 1.3 billion informal workers, representing 66% of total employment.
  • Over 80% of enterprises in the region are informal.
  • The share of informal employment has decreased by 7 percentage points over the past two decades, but the number of informal workers has increased due to population growth, especially in lower-middle-income countries.
  • Informality remains 8 percentage points higher than the global average, second only to Africa.

• ILO Recommendation No. 204:

  • Provides guidelines for transitioning from the informal to the formal economy.
  • Focuses on creating decent jobs, transitioning workers and enterprises, and preventing the informalization of formal jobs.
  • The report highlights the importance of this Recommendation in shaping the region’s formalization strategies.

• Key Drivers of Informality:

  • Macro-level: Poor economic growth, lack of formal job creation, economic fluctuations, and crises.
  • Legal and Regulatory: Weak legal frameworks, lack of enforcement, and limited access to formal registration.
  • Micro-level: Low productivity, limited access to finance, and lack of skills.
  • Transversal: Structural barriers, such as social protection gaps, unsafe working conditions, and lack of access to social services.

• Recent Literature and Emerging Themes:

  • Digitalization: Increasing emphasis on using digital tools to support formalization.
  • Social Protection: Informality is closely linked to the lack of access to social protection.
  • Structural Transformation: The need for structural changes to improve productivity and economic integration.
  • Demographic Dividend: Concerns about harnessing the potential of the region's growing workforce.
  • Gender Disparities: Persistent gender gaps, with women overrepresented in vulnerable informal segments.

Innovative Approaches

The report outlines several innovative strategies being implemented in the region to promote formalization:

• Political Commitment and Good Governance:

  • Emphasizes the need for tripartite collaboration (governments, employers, and workers).
  • Institutional coordination and evidence-based policy design are critical for effective governance.
  • Robust data collection and monitoring mechanisms are essential for informing and tracking formalization efforts.

• Structural Transformation and Productivity:

  • Improving productivity can help formalize enterprises and create better job opportunities.
  • Sectoral policies and value chain integration are key to supporting decent work.
  • Digital technologies and e-formalization are underutilized but offer significant potential for streamlining formalization processes.

• Improving Working and Living Conditions:

  • Focus on vulnerable groups such as migrant workers, domestic workers, and home-based workers.
  • Enhancing occupational safety and health (OSH) and labor inspection systems.
  • Addressing new forms of work and reducing decent work deficits in the informal sector.

• Integrated and Coherent Strategies:

  • Requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses both the root causes and structural barriers of informality.
  • Involves cross-sectoral and cross-institutional collaboration to ensure policy coherence and effectiveness.

Recommendations and Gaps

• Governance Structures: Strengthen tripartite structures and institutional coordination.
• Evidence-Based Approach: Develop and implement policies based on robust data and statistics.
• New Technologies: Leverage digital tools to improve data collection, streamline formalization, and increase accessibility.
• Integrated Approach: Ensure policies are comprehensive and address the complex interrelations of informality.
• Institutionalization: Institutionalize formalization strategies to ensure long-term sustainability.

Emerging Issues and Priorities

• Prerequisites: Improved data collection, legal frameworks, and policy coherence.
• Emerging Issues:
  • The impact of the pandemic on formalization progress.
  • The role of digitalization and new forms of work.
  • The need for gender-responsive formalization strategies.
• Priorities of Constituents:
  • Governments: Need to enhance policy coherence and institutional capacity.
  • Employers' Organizations: Should focus on productivity, supply chain integration, and regulatory simplification.
  • Workers' Organizations: Must advocate for labor rights and social protection for informal workers.

Conclusion and Way Forward

• An integrated and coherent approach is essential for effective and sustainable formalization.
• The report underscores the importance of tripartite collaboration, evidence-based policies, and digital innovation.
• The findings will be used to inform the global discussion on formalization at the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference in 2025.
• The Regional Knowledge Sharing Forum played a key role in identifying innovative strategies and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.

Key Contributions

• The report highlights the efforts of ILO constituents, including governments, employers, and workers, in developing and implementing formalization strategies.
• It draws on case studies from various countries, such as Cambodia, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Vietnam, showcasing localized and innovative approaches.
• The insights from the Forum will be critical for shaping future formalization initiatives and ensuring progress towards decent work and inclusive growth.

Legal and Licensing Information

• This report is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
• Users must attribute the ILO as the source and indicate if changes were made.
• The ILO disclaims responsibility for translations and adaptations.
• The report may include third-party materials, for which the user is solely responsible for rights clearance.

Figures and Boxes

• Figure 1: Trends in the share of informal employment in total employment by global region (2004–2024).
• Figure 2: Trends in the share of informal employment in subregions of Asia and the Pacific (2004–2024).
• Figure 3: Share of informal employment in selected countries (2024).
• Boxes:
  • Box 1: Defines the informal economy and its components.
  • Box 2: Highlights the composition of the informal economy and exposure to informality in the region.
  • Box 4–9: Provide country-specific examples of formalization strategies and initiatives.