1,721,026 research outputs found
Introduction
No full textThis introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book investigates how the global social protection agenda actually touches down in particular contexts and how it relates to the realities of informal workers. It presents a broad definition of the informal economy, including self-employment in informal enterprises as well as wage employment in informal jobs. The book explores the emerging collective forms of informal transport workers and their potential for enabling access to social protection measures in Tanzania. It argues that even though the micro-trade sector in Tanzania is poorly coordinated, recently, a few attempts at broader coalitions and cooperation have taken place pointing towards a future strengthening of representational power. The book shows how micro-traders in Kenya access both formal and informal social protection services. It provides a mostly quantitative assessment of the extent to which informal worker associations facilitate access to both formal and informal social protection measures
Concluding reflections
No full textThe concluding chapter offers overall reflections on the research questions and highlights our contributions to the literature and ongoing discussions around social protection (SP) and informal workers. The chapter starts by teasing out key findings emerging from the comparison between the SP models conceptualized and implemented ‘from above’ by public authorities with the models implemented ‘from below’ by workers’ own collective associations. This is followed by reflections on the power resources available to informal workers associations and the applicability of using the Power Resource Approach to analyse these. Finally, the chapter discusses how the findings in the book point to a need for expanding the SP agenda in several ways including suggestions of areas for further research
Formal social protection and informal workers in Kenya and Tanzania:From residual towards universal models?
No full textThis chapter provides an overview of the relevant formal social protection (SP) frameworks in Kenya and Tanzania, focusing on how they relate (or not) to informal workers, including recent advances made in this regard. The chapter also positions the formal SP schemes in relation to the SP literature and shows that both countries are undergoing a gradual shift from the mostly residual towards the more universal end of the SP spectrum, albeit at their own pace. For instance, whilst universal health coverage has become a major policy priority in Tanzania, progress is further ahead in Kenya where a universal health insurance pilot program was carried out in four counties during 2020. As for pensions, newer models range from being fully government funded to relying on informal worker (and employer) contributions, the latter limiting the effectiveness and sustainability of the schemes. Although SP coverage has increased for the general population in both Kenya and Tanzania, when it comes to informal workers, uptake remains limited due to the factors like the cost burden, inadequate benefits, and lack of information on the different SP options
Convergence and divergence of workers' environment, associations, and access to social protection:Sectoral and country comparisons
No full textDrawing on the preceding chapters, this chapter provides a comparative analysis of the construction, transport, and trade sectors across Kenya and Tanzania revealing many synergies with respect to the working environment and the importance of associations. The major differences which emerge between the sectors relate to the nature of organization, in which the trade and transport sectors manifest a higher level of organization compared to the construction sector. In terms of power resources, worker challenges, and associational benefits, most of the differentiation manifests itself on a sectoral basis, underscoring the importance of adopting a sector-specific lens when analyzing the realities of informal workers
When bicycle lanes are not enough:growing mode share in Cape Town, South Africa: an analysis of policy and practice
No full textThis chapter provides an overview of South Africa's national and local 'infrastructure-first' approach, and it argues that this narrow approach evident in Cape Town until recently may go some way to explaining the lack of significant mode shift in the city since the first walking and cycling policy. It considers the conditions beyond infrastructure that have given rise to a bicycle culture and increased mode share in cities elsewhere – Bogota and Copenhagen, in particular. The chapter provides the cautions to the cities wishing to learn from the Cape Town experience are advised to learn from the city's mistakes, too – as Cape Town itself is doing. The 2017 draft Cycle Strategy, as released for public comment in January 2017, offers little evidence of a change in direction – and its draft vision continues the narrative thread of claiming leadership in terms of bicycle planning
Social Protection and Informal Workers in Sub-Saharan Africa
Get PDFThe promotion of social protection in Sub-Saharan Africa happens in a context where informal labour markets constitute the norm, and where most workers live uncertain livelihoods with very limited access to official social protection. The dominant social protection agenda and the associated literature come with an almost exclusive focus on donor and state programmes even if their coverage is limited to small parts of the populations – and in no way stands measure to the needs. In these circumstances, people depend on other means of protection and cushioning against risks and vulnerabilities including different forms of collective self-organizing providing alternative forms of social protection. These informal, bottom-up forms of social protection are at a nascent stage of social protection discussions and little is known about the extent or models of these informal mechanisms. This book seeks to fill this gap by focusing on three important sectors of informal work, namely: transport, construction, and micro-trade in Kenya and Tanzania. It explores how the global social protection agenda interacts with informal contexts and how it fits with the actual realities of the informal workers. Consequently, the authors examine and compare the social protection models conceptualized and implemented ‘from above’ by the public authorities in Tanzania and Kenya with social protection mechanisms ‘from below’ by the informal workers own collective associations. The book will be of interest to academics in International Development Studies, Political Economy, and African Studies, as well as development practitioners and policy communities
The relationship between association membership and access to formal social protection:A cross-sector analysis of informal workers in Kenya and Tanzania
No full textUsing survey data of informal workers across three different sectors (construction, transport, trade) and four urban locations in Kenya and Tanzania this chapter provides a quantitative assessment of the extent to which informal worker associations facilitate access to formal social protection measures. Overall, the analysis shows that association members are significantly more likely to access public social insurance schemes, when controlling for key worker characteristics. Moreover, across sectors and sites the provision of loans appears to be the main direct mechanism through which this occurs. Finally, the results reveal a substantial earnings-gap between association members and non-members, albeit with differences by sector and country. In sum, the findings suggest that aside from providing direct social cushioning, informal worker associations may also play an important role in enabling participation in formal social insurance schemes.Using survey data of informal workers across three different sectors (construction, transport, trade) and four urban locations in Kenya and Tanzania this chapter provides a quantitative assessment of the extent to which informal worker associations facilitate access to formal social protection measures. Overall, the analysis shows that association members are significantly more likely to access public social insurance schemes, when controlling for key worker characteristics. Moreover, across sectors and sites the provision of loans appears to be the main direct mechanism through which this occurs. Finally, the results reveal a substantial earnings-gap between association members and non-members, albeit with differences by sector and country. In sum, the findings suggest that aside from providing direct social cushioning, informal worker associations may also play an important role in enabling participation in formal social insurance schemes
Social Protection and Informal Workers in Sub-Saharan Africa
Get PDFThe promotion of social protection in Sub-Saharan Africa happens in a context where informal labour markets constitute the norm, and where most workers live uncertain livelihoods with very limited access to official social protection. The dominant social protection agenda and the associated literature come with an almost exclusive focus on donor and state programmes even if their coverage is limited to small parts of the populations – and in no way stands measure to the needs. In these circumstances, people depend on other means of protection and cushioning against risks and vulnerabilities including different forms of collective self-organizing providing alternative forms of social protection. These informal, bottom-up forms of social protection are at a nascent stage of social protection discussions and little is known about the extent or models of these informal mechanisms. This book seeks to fill this gap by focusing on three important sectors of informal work, namely: transport, construction, and micro-trade in Kenya and Tanzania. It explores how the global social protection agenda interacts with informal contexts and how it fits with the actual realities of the informal workers. Consequently, the authors examine and compare the social protection models conceptualized and implemented ‘from above’ by the public authorities in Tanzania and Kenya with social protection mechanisms ‘from below’ by the informal workers own collective associations. The book will be of interest to academics in International Development Studies, Political Economy, and African Studies, as well as development practitioners and policy communities
Social Protection and Informal Workers in Sub-Saharan Africa:Lived Realities and Associational Experiences from Tanzania and Kenya
No full textThe promotion of social protection in Sub-Saharan Africa happens in a context where informal labour markets constitute the norm, and where most workers live uncertain livelihoods with very limited access to official social protection. The dominant social protection agenda and the associated literature come with an almost exclusive focus on donor and state programmes even if their coverage is limited to small parts of the populations – and in no way stands measure to the needs. In these circumstances, people depend on other means of protection and cushioning against risks and vulnerabilities including different forms of collective self-organizing providing alternative forms of social protection. These informal, bottom-up forms of social protection are at a nascent stage of social protection discussions and little is known about the extent or models of these informal mechanisms.This book seeks to fill this gap by focusing on three important sectors of informal work, namely: transport, construction, and micro-trade in Kenya and Tanzania. It explores how the global social protection agenda interacts with informal contexts and how it fits with the actual realities of the informal workers. Consequently, the authors examine and compare the social protection models conceptualized and implemented ‘from above’ by the public authorities in Tanzania and Kenya with social protection mechanisms ‘from below’ by the informal workers own collective associations.The book will be of interest to academics in International Development Studies, Political Economy, and African Studies, as well as development practitioners and policy communities
Informal trader associations in Tanzania:providing limited but much needed informal social protection
Get PDFPublic understandings of informality as a transitionary state on the way to formalization connects with a general lack of recognition of people in the informal economy as collective political actors and more specifically a lack of institutionalized spaces where informal traders can represent themselves for example in discussions about the use of public space or the design of Social Protection (SP) policies. Although the micro-trade sector is poorly coordinated, recently, a few attempts at broader coalitions and cooperation has taken place perhaps pointing towards a future strengthening of representational power. Meanwhile, informal trader associations provide a range of SP services in a system based on reciprocity. While these measures extend only limited coverage, they nonetheless provide services which for most informal micro-traders are difficult or impossible to access elsewhere
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