The Pandemic, Informality and Poverty: Rethinking Economic Policy Responses to the Informal Economy

Abstract

Informal workers, who represent over 60 per cent of all workers globally, were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic restrictions and recession. The pandemic exposed the pre-existing disadvantages that informal workers face as well as the essential goods and services they provide. To reduce poverty and inequality going forward, it is important to build on this new-found recognition of the contributions of informal workers and promote an enabling policy and regulatory environment towards them.