The Infrmal Emplyment in the Arab Cuntries Realities and Rights Launching the Reginal Reprt Beirut, Cair May 8 and 9, 2017 Samir AITA President, Cercle des Ecnmistes Arabes
What des this reprt target? Pinting n the fact that infrmal emplyment is nt a marginal issue in the Arab cuntries. It is rather an intrinsic feature f the mdern Arab ecnmies and the divisin f labr therein. It is dmed t expand under current plicies. Even De St: the Arab spring is the revlutin f the infrmals. They seek t wrk in a regulated system that prtects them and can be inclusive. But this system has nt been invented yet. Als t remember are the by-laws f the ILO (1919): Wrld peace can nly be built n scial equity and the imprvement f the wrking cnditins is an urgent necessity. Cmparing the characteristics f infrmal emplyment between Arab cuntries, clarifying definitins and categries frm a rightsbased perspective: Infrmal sectr, a cncept related t prductin units (including husehlds) share f GDP. Infrmal emplyment, is abut wrk relatins = infrmal emplyment in infrmal sectr + infrmal sectr + in husehlds. Be aware : infrmal ecnmy is a wider definitin f infrmal emplyment, t be distinguished frm any criminal activity!!!
The categries f infrmal emplyment situatins Studying the distributin f the categries f infrmal emplyment alng with the internatinally adpted classificatin Discussing the relative imprtance and cmparing the wrking situatin between self and wage emplyment Discussing dependency relatinships in infrmal ecnmy Analyzing hw agriculture and public emplyment influence the cmparisn between Arab cuntries. Huse wrkers withut wage Smetimes Infrmal gvernment emplyees Bu Azizi situatin: street vendrs Mst f freign wrkers Huse wrkers
The main results f the study Accrding t latest LFSs Basic criteria is scial security cverage (rightsbased criteria) The situatin f infrmal emplyment varies significantly between Arab cuntries Except Tunisia and Algeria, Infrmal emplyment> 50% f ttal emplyment Other-accunt wrk (with r withut wage) is the main characteristic f Arab infrmal emplyment, and nt wn-accunt!!!
The main results f the study Outside gvernment emplyment, infrmal emplyment > 60% f ttal emplyment (excluding Tunisia) Outside agriculture, infrmal emplyment > 45% f ttal emplyment (excluding Tunisia and Algeria). Outside agriculture and gvernment emplyment, infrmal emplyment > 60% f ttal emplyment (except Tunisia). LFSs des nt always allw t analyze details f nn agriculture infrmal emplyment Hwever, theraccunt wrk is the dminant characteristic f infrmal emplyment in mst Arab cuntries
The Main results f the study cncerning wmen infrmal emplyment Glbally, wmen are less invlved than men in infrmal emplyment. Except Yemen, Sudan, Algeria, Mrcc, Mauritania and Bahrain. The situatins f wmen infrmal emplyment vary significantly between Arab cuntries. Other-accunt wrk is the main characteristic f wmen infrmal emplyment. Infrmality amngst (nn-paid) cntributing family wrkers is dminant in Yemen, Palestine, Sudan and Mauritania. Infrmality amngst family salary wmen wrkers is dminant in Lebann and Gulf cuntries
The Main results f the study cncerning wmen infrmal emplyment Outside gvernment emplyment, the share f infrmality in wmen emplyment increases drastically in mst Arab cuntries. Outside agriculture, the share f infrmality decreases t 10% in Tunisia, 22% in Egypt and Syria, 25% in Jrdan and 29% in Iraq. Outside agriculture and gvernment, infrmal emplyment > 60% f ttal wmen emplyment (except Tunisia). Outside agriculture, ther-accunt wrk is the main characteristic f wmen infrmal emplyment.
Infrmal emplyment in Palestine In the middle f the yuth bulge: 39% yuth High unemplyment 26% (36% female) Lw female participatin (WB 18%; Gaza 20%) increasing 53,000 yearly newcmers t LF (+4,5% yearly), 15,000 wmen (+6,3%) New emplyment pprtunities 70%, 50% nly fr wmen Majr differences between WB and Gaza in public emplyment 17% f WB infrmal wage wrkers are emplyed in Israeli settlements WB accunts fr 82% f all infrmals Latest specialized survey 2008??!! Share f wn-accunt very small Infrmal sectr cntributin = 9 t 88% f GDP Child labr > 7% (6-14 years) Pverty = 26% f Palestinians, 50% f revenues belw pverty line (especially WB). Distributin f emplyed in Palestine (LFS f infrmality 2008) Wmen Men Ttal Gaza WB Wage wrkers 30% 21% 22% 37% 16% In Public sectr 9% 9% 10% 16% 8% Frmal in frmalprivate sectr 27% 43% 40% 27% 45% Infrmal in frmal private sectr Own accunt and emplyers 1% 10% 9% 5% 10% Frmal 10% 11% 11% 10% 11% Infrmal 23% 5% 9% 5% 10% Cntributing family wrkers n wage 60% 60% 60% 43% 66% Ttal f the infrmally emplyed
Infrmal emplyment in Palestine (general picture) % f ttal emplyment The shares f infrmal emplyment categries in Palestine (% f ttal emplyment) Jbs by Status in Emplyment Type f prductin unit Own-accunt wrkers Emplyers Cntributing Wage wrkers Members f cperatives Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Frmal Frmal Frmal Frmal West Bank Gaza West Bank Gaza West Bank Gaza West Bank Gaza West Bank Gaza Frmal sectr enterprises 33,2% 6,9% Infrmal sectr enterprises 8,5% 2,6% 7,4% 1,4% Husehlds
Infrmal emplyment in Lebann N yuth bulge, 29% yuth but high utward migratin rates (1-2% yearly). Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian and ther freign labr frce (including large hme wrkers) Inward migratin = 2/3 f demgraphic grwth Urbanized ppulatin: 90% in cities Yearly newcmers t LF 44,000 in 2006-2010, becming 110,000 in 2011-2015 (1/3 wmen). Participatin: Men: Lebanese 42%, Palestinians 42%, Syrians 47% Wmen: Lebanese 21%, Palestinians 15%, Syrians 19%. Unemplyment: Men: Lebanese 9%, Palestinians 9%, Syrians 30% Wmen: Lebanese 18%, Palestinians 14%, Syrians 68% Infrmal emplyment: Lebanese 59%, Palestinians 95%, Syrians 99%, ther migrants 90%. Main characteristic f infrmality : wage wrkers Own-accunt share is generally weak, but high fr Lebanese in medium incme cuntry!!!!
Infrmal emplyment in Lebann Glbal picture f the cuntry linking LFSs fr each categry f wrkers. But des nt allw t fllw changes since 2011. 85% f thse wrking in Gvernment and public sectr temprary cntracts = infrmal? Share f infrmal sectr in GDP 36% (Wrld Bank) Child labr: Lebanese 2%, Syrians 8% Pverty: 29% f ppulatin, 8% in extreme pverty (WB), ther studies: Lebanese 3%, Palestinians 66%... Distributin f emplyed in Lebann alng natinality, gender and jb status Ttal emplyed Other migrants Syrians Palestinians Lebanese Ttal Wmen Men Ttal Wmen Men Ttal Wmen Men Ttal Wmen Men Ttal Wmen Men 100% 28% 72% 13% 11% 1% 18% 2% 17% 6% 1% 5% 63% 14% 49% Share f Ttal emplyed in Lebann Wage wrkers 9% 9% 7% 1% 1% 1% 14% 18% 10% Gvernment Public sectr 11% 22% 10% 10% 10% 10% 1% 1% 1% 4% 9% 3% 15% 34% 14% Frmal in private sectr 29% 45% 22% 80% 80% 80% 22% 9% 23% 36% 60% 30% 20% 20% 20% Permanent infrmal wage wrkers 23% 13% 26% 10% 10% 10% 72% 85% 71% 31% 12% 35% 10% 7% 11% Vulnerable wage wrkers (daily, etc) 21% 7% 26% 18% 12% 20% 32% 14% 36% Own-accunt 5% 1% 6% 5% 5% 5% 9% 3% 11% 5% 1% 6% Emplyers 2% 3% 2% 3% 5% 3% Cntributing family wrkers 0% 0% 0% 1% 1% 1% Trainees 0% 0% 0% 1% 3% 1% Others 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% TOTAL 73% 67% 74% 90% 90% 90% 99% 99% 99% 95% 90% 96% 59% 44% 63% Share f Infrmal emplyment
Infrmal emplyment in Lebann (general picture) % f ttal emplyment The shares f infrmal emplyment categries in Lebann (% f ttal emplyment) Jbs by Status in Emplyment Type f prductin unit Own-accunt wrkers Emplyers Cntributing Wage wrkers Members f cperatives Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Frmal Frmal Frmal Frmal Lebanese Migrants Lebanese Migrants Lebanese Migrants Lebanese Migrants Lebanese Migrants Frmal sectr enterprises 19,4% 22,3% Infrmal sectr enterprises 16,0% 1,0% 1,4% 2,2% 0,0% Husehlds 10,1% The shares f wmen infrmal emplyment categries in Lebann (% f ttal emplyment) Jbs by Status in Emplyment Type f prductin unit Own-accunt wrkers Emplyers Cntributing Wage wrkers Members f cperatives Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Frmal Frmal Frmal Frmal Lebanese Migrants Lebanese Migrants Lebanese Migrants Lebanese Migrants Lebanese Migrants Frmal sectr enterprises 13,8% 12,0% Infrmal sectr enterprises 5,6% 0,4% 0,4% 2,5% 0,0% Husehlds 32,5%
Infrmal emplyment in Egypt End f the yuth bulge: 25% yuth, lw utward migratin. N majr rural-urban migratin wave: 57% f ppulatin still rural; but acceleratin. New entrants t LF 690,000 yearly in 2006-2010 (240,000 wmen), reduced t 560,000 in 2011-2015 (126,000 wmen). New jb pprtunities nly 50% f labr demand in 2011-2016, 60% fr wmen. 24 millin male emplyed, nly 4 millin wmen. Unemplyment: male 9%, female 35%. Infrmal emplyment : 59% f ttal emplyed, nly 38% f wmen emplyed. Main characteristic is ther-accunt wrk Lw wn-accunt emplyment Distributin f emplyed (men and wmen) in Egypt as fr status in jbs ELMPS 2012 % f all emplyed % f infrmally emplyed Gvernment services 26% Public sectr 4% Wage regular wrk in private sectr 11% Wage regular wrk in infrmal sectr 15% 25% Irregular wage wrk 17% 29% Cntributing family wrkers utside agriculture 2% 3% Cntributing family wrkers in agriculture 5% 8% Own-accunt wrkers utside agriculture 8% 14% Own-accunt wrkers in agriculture 2% 3% Emplyers 10% 17% Ttal emplyed 100% Ttal infrmally emplyed 59% 100% Distributin f wmen emplyed in Egypt as fr status in jbs ELMPS 2012 % f all emplyed % f infrmally emplyed Gvernment services 49% Public sectr 3% Wage regular wrk in private sectr 7% Wage regular wrk in infrmal sectr 7% 18% Irregular wage wrk 2% 6% Cntributing family wrkers utside agriculture 3% 8% Cntributing family wrkers in agriculture 15% 36% Own-accunt wrkers utside agriculture 8% 20% Own-accunt wrkers in agriculture 2% 4% Emplyers 3% 7% Ttal emplyed 100% Ttal infrmally emplyed 41% 100%
Infrmal emplyment in Egypt Infrmal emplyment: 59% f ttal, nly 38% fr wmen Outside agriculture: 50% f ttal emplyment, nly 22% fr wmen Outside agriculture and Gvt: 70% f ttal, nly 34% fr wmen 91% f yuth emplyment is infrmal mst f it in the frmal sectr!!!! First jbs fr yuth 79% infrmal fr men, nly 15% fr wmen. The share f precarius wrk is increasing: frm 8% in 2006 t 17% in 2012. A significant share f cntributing family wrk withut wage fr wmen. A significant share f gvernment emplyment is infrmal. Infrmal sectr cntributin t GDP estimated between 35% and 68%. Children wrk 4% (5-11 years), 13% (12-14 years).
Infrmal emplyment in Egypt (general picture) % f ttal emplyment The shares f infrmal emplyment categries in Egypt (% f ttal emplyment) Jbs by Status in Emplyment Type f prductin unit Own-accunt wrkers Emplyers Cntributing Family Wage wrkers Members f cperatives Infrmal Frmal Infrmal Frmal Infrmal Infrmal Frmal Infrmal Frmal Frmal sectr enterprises Infrmal sectr enterprises 10,0% 10,0% 7,0% 32,0% Husehlds The shares f wmen infrmal emplyment categries in Egypt (% f ttal emplyment) Type f prductin unit Jbs by Status in Emplyment Own-accunt wrkers Emplyers Cntributing Family Wage wrkers Members f cperatives Infrmal Frmal Infrmal Frmal Infrmal Infrmal Frmal Infrmal Frmal Frmal sectr enterprises Infrmal sectr enterprises 10,0% 3,1% 18,3% 9,8% Husehlds
Infrmal emplyment in Bahrain Demgraphic grwth is mainly fixed by incming migratin 90% f migrants participate t LF. S what des participatin t LF means in Gulf cuntries? Female participatin 36%!!! Gender unbalance: 62% men! As mst f incming migrants are men. 8,000 Bahraini new-cmers every year t LF, ut f ttal 59,000 in 2006-2010. A Gulf cuntries cahracteristic: Labr Frce adapts itself t the Labr market, and nt the ppsite!!!!!!. Analysis f infrmal emplyment in Bahrain 2015 number f wrkers (000) % f ttal emplyment % f Bahrainis emplyed % f migrants emplyed Bahraini Own-accunt wrkers (3) 23 3,2% 15% Migrant Own-accunt wrkers (3) 1 0,1% 0% Bahraini emplyers (4) 30 4,2% 19% Migrant emplyers (4) 1 0,1% 0% Bahraini Cntributing family Wrkers (9) 1 0,1% 1% Migrant Cntributing family wrkers(9) Bahraini wage wrkers in frmal sectr (2) 4 0,6% 3% Migrant wage wrkers in frmal sectr (2) 293 40,9% 52% Bahraini wage wrkers in infrmal sectr (6) Migrant wage wrkers in infrmal sectr (6) Migrant wage wrkers in husehlds 111 15,5% 20% المجموع 464 64,8% 37% 73% 716 157 559 Analysis f female infrmal emplyment in Bahrain 2015 number f wrkers (000) % f ttal emplyment % f Bahrainis emplyed % f migrants emplyed Bahraini Own-accunt wrkers (3) 4,5 2,8% 8% Migrant Own-accunt wrkers (3) 0 0,0% 0% Bahraini emplyers (4) 12 7,5% 21% Migrant emplyers (4) 0 0,0% 0% Bahraini Cntributing family Wrkers (9) 0% Migrant Cntributing family wrkers(9) Bahraini wage wrkers in frmal sectr (2) 0% Migrant wage wrkers in frmal sectr (2) 20 12,5% 19% Bahraini wage wrkers in infrmal sectr (6) Migrant wage wrkers in infrmal sectr (6) Migrant wage wrkers in husehlds 66,9 41,9% 65% المجموع 103,4 64,7% 29% 84% 159,8 56,8 103
Infrmal Bahrainis Infrmal emplyment in Bahrain Own-accunt, emplyers and free prfessins New emplyments created by new technlgies Precarius emplyment in public sectr, especially wmen (ex. kindergarten) Prducing families Infrmal migrants «lse» emplyment migrants having lst fficial residency 50,000 (10% f ttal emplyment). Husehld emplyees 60% f them wmen 64% f migrant wrkers are here fr less than ONE year n rights 77% fr less than 3 years Infrmal emplyment 65% f ttal Almst same percentage between Bahrainis and migrants Despite that Bahrain is best cuntry in the Gulf respecting wrkers rights!
Infrmal emplyment in Bahrain (general picture) % f ttal emplyment The shares f infrmal emplyment categries in Bahrain (% f ttal emplyment) Jbs by Status in Emplyment Type f prductin unit Own-accunt wrkers Emplyers Cntributing Wage wrkers Members f cperatives Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Infrmal Frmal Frmal Frmal Frmal Bahrainis Migrants Bahrainis Migrants Bahrainis Migrants Bahrainis Migrants Bahrainis Migrants Frmal sectr enterprises 0,6% Infrmal sectr enterprises 3,2% 0,1% 4,2% 0,1% 0,1% 0,0% 0,0% 40,9% Husehlds 15,5%
Future perspectives A majr change has ccurred in the ppulatin weight f Gulf cuntries Gulf: frm 6% t 14% f ttal ppulatin (UAE x 140) Majr influence f migratins Internal migratins between nn-gulf cuntries (wars!) Outward migratin frm nn-gulf cuntries Inward migratin t Gulf cuntries nt frm Arab nn- Gulf cuntries
The infrmal emplyment in the Arab cuntries shall have a glbal impact, especially n Eurpe Evlutin de la ppulatin en milliers Cmparisn f ttal ppulatin between Arab cuntries, Eurpe and the US 800 000 700 000 600 000 500 000 400 000 300 000 200 000 100 000 N scial prtectin n citizenship trubles wars and migratins 0 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 USA Eurpe USA Arab Eurpe
Future perspectives The end f the yuth bulge Lastest in Yemen and Palestine New acceleratin f rural-urban migratin Especially in Egypt and Sudan
Future perspectives The relative distributin f the labr frce between Arab cuntries Egypt, Syria, Algeria, Mrcc and Iraq Acceleratin f LF grwth Especially in the Gulf cuntries (migrants!?) Majr difference in the dealing with the effects f crises between Gulf and nn-gulf states
The Arab Watch reprt, the plicies and necessary activities A better dcumentatin f case studies f infrmal emplyment in Arab cuntries is needed t reflect the main infrmalities in each cuntry A better dcumentatin is needed cncerning the psitins and the struggles f unins and NGOs fr the rights f infrmal wrkers Gvernment plicies twards infrmal emplyment: There is a need t better study the Tunisian best case, and hw this experience can be imprved and generalized t prtect the human, scial and ecnmic rights f infrmal wrkers and the ppulatin Why NGOs and Unins d nt perfrm their wn labr frce surveys t cmpare with fficial LFSs r t cmpensate their absence? Especially t analyze: The large differences in infrmal emplyment between regins f a cuntry The links between infrmal emplyment and infrmal settlements, and the reginal and urban planning plicies. There is a need t better address IMF analysis f taxes and scial cntributins, as well as its «recmmendatin» cncerning subsidies: within a general review f the rle f the State in re-distributin. Are micr-credits really THE slutin while mst infrmal emplyment is wage wrking?
Recmmendatins Struggles: The pririty f the rights issue Awareness campaigns: Infrmal emplyment is the true nature f emplyment in the Arab cuntries Scial and ecnmic rights are human rights dignity is needed fr all wrkers, citizens r nn-citizens There is need f independent unin activities t represent the interests f infrmal wrkers grups There is a need fr independent unins and NGOs defending the rights f wmen in wrk Pririty f struggles: btain scial prtectin fr infrmal emplyees All scial cntributins (taxes and fees, against services including health and retirement) shuld be put n a unique negtiatin table. Cmbatting pverty and prmting entrepreneurship in a glbal develpment perspective. The place f wrk is an essential issue f labr relatins, t deal with in scial negtiatins Dialgue is necessary with trade and industry chambers, lcally and in cuntry There is a necessity f internatinal cllabratin with all NGOs defending rights f infrmals. Labr market institutins: as a framewrk its management has t be shared (emplyment, inspectin, negtiatin, cntrl f applicatin f rules and regulatins).
Recmmendatins Surveys: Pressure must be made n gvernments t perfrm regular surveys Unins and NGOs shuld perfrm their wn surveys Internatinal cperatin n the expertise f surveys Fcusing surveys n issues related t yuth, wmen and precarius emplyment, t reginal gaps, t migrant wrkers rights and t scial prtectin The indicatr f unemplyment means nthing in Arab cuntries Scial security: Taking prfit f the Tunisian experience and beynd the hrizntal deplyment f scial security Studying the financial equilibrium f scial security in cuntries experiencing yuth bulge Negtiatin ttal scial cntributins against ttal scial services with gvernments and IMF. Cmbatting pverty and prmting entrepreneurship Analyzing the Mrccan experience in micr-credits? The mst imprtant Analyzing entrepreneurship prmtin plicies in Arab cuntries, especially fr the yuth Analyzing living cnditins in infrmal cities and reginal and urban planning plicies.