Informal Sector Workers Research Articles

Family Support to Improve Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in the Informal Sector

Introduction: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) for formal sector workers is held along with regulations, joint commitments, training, and continuous monitoring. This condition cannot be applied for informal sector, so it approaches that can be performed such as activating social support from workers’ environment. This study aimed to determine for social support to improve the knowledge, attitude and practice of OHS workers in informal sector. Methods: This study a quasi-experimental with pre-posttest and control group design. Subjects were 90 limestone workers taken by Multistage Sampling from Gunungkidul Regency, Indonesia. Subjects were divided into health promotion by family support and peer support (FS&PS), peer support (PS), family support (FS), and control (C) group with treatment period of one month. Variables were measured using a knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire. The obtained data then analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test. Results: There was a significant difference (p<0.001) in the knowledge, attitude and practice of OHS in limestone workers. FS&PS group gave the highest score for knowledge variable. There was no significant differences between OHS attitude between FS&PS and FS only (p=0.787). The biggest influence of attitude changes was from the FS group. The OHS practice has no significant differences between PS and C group (p=0.696), while other groups have significant differences. Conclusion: The biggest influence of changes in OHS practice was in the FS group. The combination of FS&PS is more effective in increasing knowledge, while attitude and practice are more effective if involving FS.

Effect of mobile phone-based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: an evaluation study

BackgroundGhana introduced a mobile phone-based contribution payment system in its national health insurance scheme (NHIS) in December 2018 to improve the process of enrolment. We evaluated the effect of this digital health intervention on retention of coverage in the Scheme, one year after its implementation.MethodsWe used NHIS enrolment data for the period, 1 December 2018–31 December 2019. Descriptive statistics and propensity-score matching method were performed to examine a sample of 57,993 members’ data.ResultsProportion of members who renewed their membership in the NHIS via the mobile phone-based contribution payment system increased from 0% to 8.5% whilst those who did so through the office-based system only grew from 4.7% to 6.4% over the study period. The chance of renewing membership was higher by 17.4 percentage points for users of the mobile phone-based contribution payment system, compared to those who used the office-based contribution payment system. The effect was greater for the informal sector workers, males and the unmarried.ConclusionsThe mobile phone-based health insurance renewal system is improving coverage in the NHIS particularly for members who hitherto were less likely to renew their membership. Policy makers need to devise an innovative way for new members and all member categories to enrol using this payment system to accelerate progress towards attainment of universal health coverage. Further study needs to be conducted using mixed-method design with inclusion of more variables.

Does Informal Sector Suitable for Female Labor?

The existence of SDGs program which supported by the demographic bonus era provides potential for female labor force, but the fact in Indonesia is that there is an inequality in the number of working female labor force compared to men, especially the field of work dominated by women is threatened by industrial automation 4.0. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the characteristics of women to the opportunities in the informal and formal job that seen from age, marital status, wages, length of education taken, ethnicity, and area of residence. The method used in this study is binary logistic regression with IFLS 5 data sources. The results showed that women who decided to work in the informal sector were women of older age, married women, women who studied longer, women with Batak and Sasak ethnicities, and women who lived in rural areas. The Indonesian government is expected to be able to improve policies for informal sector workers including decent wages, social security and health, and legal protection in order to achieve Indonesian goals according to SDGs agenda.

Households’ Willingness to Pay for Community-Based Health Insurance in the Southwest Region of Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, especially the informal sector workers are deprived of proper healthcare owing to high cost and lack of security like health insurance. The study aims to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) of the informal sector workers for premium-based health insurance on the basis of data collected from 210 households, where double bounded dichotomous choice (DBDC) model was applied. The study estimates that this working-class people are willing to pay a monthly premium of on average around BDT (Bangladeshi Taka) 315 (USD 3.66) in response to enjoy the facilities of health insurance scheme for a household comprising up to four family members. Moreover, the per household estimated average monthly optimum tariff rate of almost BDT 300 (USD 3.54) and monthly mean social optimum tariff rate of about BDT 100 (USD 1.18) indicate the assurance of socially desirable welfare for all of the market participants. By charging this tariff, approximately 97 percent of the people would enjoy access to community-based health insurance, in addition to generating revenue that is around 1.13 times the project’s cost. Even by charging this monthly mean social optimum tariff, approximately 97 percent of the households would enjoy the access to community-based health insurance; the generating revenue through that tariff rate is around 1.13 times of the probable cost for high service package health scheme. In order to alleviate the burden of the out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for this vulnerable community, the study advises policymakers to initiate health insurance scheme by maintaining effective supervision over market dynamics and fixing the best fit premium rate.

Analisis Kebijakan Pemerintah dalam Mengatasi Masalah Pengagguran di Indonesia Pasca Pandemi Covid-19

Introduction/Main Objectives: This research aims to find government policies for unemployment in Indonesia after Covid 19. Research Methods: The method used in this research is to wait for a qualitative approach with a research library. Finding/Results: The research results show that the government has implemented policies to address the unemployment problem in post-Covid-19 Indonesia, as follows; (1) Allocating funds for handling Covid-19. (2) Organizing income tax incentive programs and relaxing credit payments. (3) Provision of social assistance to 70.5 million informal sector workers who are included in the vulnerable and poor categories. (4) Conduct various competency and productivity based trainings. (5) Expanding job opportunities for workers affected by the pandemic. (6) Opening of consultation, information and complaint services for workers related to Occupational Safety and Health. (7) Issuance of Pre-Employment Cards to develop competency and job opportunities. Conclusion: The government has carried out the right policies to address the problem of unemployment in Indonesia after Covid-19

Analysis of Factors Influencing the Income of Women Informal Sector Workers in Indonesia (IFLS Data Analysis 5)

This research was conducted with the aim of being able to find out the factors that influence the income of women informal sector workers in Indonesia in 2014 based on data from the 2014 batch 5 Indonesian family life survey (IFLS-5). IFLS 5 data is the latest data conducted by several institutions. such as rand meters, survey meters and the demographic institute of the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (LD FEB UI). Based on the existing problems, namely female workers contribute 38% of the total national workforce and the informal sector absorbs the highest workforce in Indonesia, which is equal to 69%, but it is ironic because the informal sector has the lowest income level compared to other sectors. This study took a sample of 2,294 respondents taken from 13 provinces in Indonesia. Respondents were filtered based on age with a range of 15-65 years. With the dependent variable income of women workers and the independent variables education level, age, marital status, working hours, work experience and job training. From the results of statistical tests conducted, it shows that 31% of the independent variables partially affect the dependent variable, and the rest are influenced by independent variables outside the research model. The results of multiple linear tests show that the independent variables of education level, age, working hours, work experience and job training are significantly independent variables that can explain the effect on the variable income of women informal sector workers in Indonesia.
 Keywords: IFLS-5, Female Workforce, Income of Informal Sector Female Workers.

Potensi Bahaya Kerja Pada Pekerja Di Pabrik Tahu Kelurahan Tonja-Denpasar

The informal sector has characteristics such as small-scale business, individual ownership, simple technology, low level of education, and skills of workers: low productivity and relatively low wages. One of the informal sector businesses is the home-based tofu industry. In general, workers at the tofu manufacturing site have not received health insurance and safety guarantees if they suffer from occupational diseases or work accidents. In the process itself, there are many potential occupational hazards that may affect the health level of workers, so it is deemed necessary to socialize potential occupational hazards to workers in the tofu factory. The purpose of this activity is to provide information to informal sector workers, especially workers in factories, to know about the potential work hazards that may occur during work so that they can protect themselves from accidents or occupational diseases. The method used is socialization with workers, followed by discussions to assess workers' understanding of potential hazards during work. Workers understand the potential hazards that may occur in their work environment, so they can protect themselves from accidents or occupational diseases. The socialization of potential occupational hazards to workers in tofu factories as an effort to pay attention to workers in the informal sector has been achieved, so it is hoped that the health and safety of workers is guaranteed

Income loss and gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic among female entertainment workers in Cambodia: a cross-sectional phone survey

BackgroundIn Cambodia, female entertainment workers (FEWs) are disproportionately affected by global and local disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the government imposed tight restrictions, including closures of entertainment venues, such as karaoke bars, beer gardens, nightclubs, or massage parlors, leading FEWs to face economic and social disruptions. This study aims to assess the relationship between income loss during the pandemic and gender-based violence (GBV) among FEWs in Cambodia to inform future disaster response programs.MethodsWe conducted a phone survey in August 2021 with 369 randomly sampled FEWs from a national organization’s email list. We used a structured questionnaire to ask the participants about job and income loss, food security, mental health, access to health services, and GBV. We fit a linear regression model to examine the differences in GBV experience between FEWs who lost all their income and those who lost partial income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key covariables comprised the number of dependents, smartphone ownership, internet access, food security, and mental health. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted.ResultsThe mean age (31.6 vs. 30.6), years of formal education (6.3 vs. 6.3), marital status (24.2 vs. 23.8 never married), and the number of children (1.3 vs. 1.1) of women reporting having lost all income were not significantly different from those who experienced partial income loss. Overall, GBV experiences were significantly higher in FEWs who lost all income than in those who lost partial income (62.9% vs. 47.4%, p = 0.03). Controlling for the number of dependents, smartphone ownership, and food security, the adjusted odds ratio for GBV was significant in the adjusted model (AOR = 1.23 (1.08–1.40), p = 0.001) indicating that those who experienced total income loss were more likely to experience GBV than those who experienced partial income loss. In addition, they were significantly less likely to be food secure (p = 0.04), less likely to own a smartphone (p = 0.02), and had more dependents (p < 0.001).ConclusionDisaster response programs should consider the implications of safety measures and government support for both formal and informal workers regarding safety, food access, and mental health support. Food assistance programs should target the most vulnerable informal sector workers during crises.

The impact of COVID-19 infection on labor outcomes of Mexican formal workers

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate and severe impact on the economy. However, we do not know whether the disease may have a longer-term effect on people's employment opportunities. In this study, we focus on the effects of COVID-19 infection on labor market outcomes 12 months after diagnosis. We use a unique dataset that includes all formal private sector workers in the Mexican social security system and that links health outcomes with administrative records. We implement two alternative identification strategies to estimate the impact: matching estimators and individual fixed effects models. Our study finds that COVID-19 infection does not harm employment probabilities or wages. On the contrary, we find that workers who had tested positive for COVID had a higher likelihood of keeping their formal sector jobs and higher wages than those who did not. Moreover, our results describe mostly low-income workers.

Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Employment and Earning in Urban India during the First Three Months of Pandemic Period: An Analysis with Unit-Level Data of Periodic Labour Force Survey.

Urbanisation has accelerated the pace of development throughout the world. Big cities provide employment and livelihood for workers because of which workers have always migrated from rural areas to cities. However, in India, most of the migrant workers are absorbed in the low-paid and low-skilled jobs in the widespread informal sector. With the outbreak of COVID-19, lockdown was declared suddenly without any notice in India during the last week of March 2019 and most of the urban informal sector workers suddenly lost their jobs, and since they had no protection, they werepushed into poverty. Detailed analysis of such losses is of utmost importance so that perfectly appropriate remedial measures can be taken by the government. Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)report of 2019-20 has analysed the situation of labour market in India for four quarters from July 2019 to June 2020. Therefore, the last quarter of the data will give us the valuable information about the urban labour market during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic period. This study analyses the possible reasons behind decline in monthly earnings and labour market participation of urban people in India during the period of outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, i.e. during the period from April 2020 to June 2020, using the data of fourth quarter from each of the PLFSs of 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 since they have identical seasonal conditions. We have used cross-tabulation method to find out employment and unemployment rates of people inurban areas according to gender and type of employment for the period, from July to June, for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020. We have also tried to find the reasons behind the decline in income of workers during the first three months of the pandemic period, i.e. during the fourth quarter of 2019-20, compared to the fourth quarter of 2017-18 and that of 2018-19 using the Mincerian wage equation. Our empirical results have shown that urban workers in India have lost jobs and suffered from significant decline in income during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic period in almost all types of employment.

Emergency cash transfers for informal workers: Impact evidence from Mexico

We study the effects of a sizeable ($526 PPP) one-time-only emergency cash transfer targeted at self-employed, sub-employed, and informal sector workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The transfers were processed on a first-come, first-served basis until program funds were depleted, creating a plausible source of exogenous variation in program participation. Combining this discontinuity with a purpose-built phone survey, we find substantial positive effects on measures of food security and psychological well-being three to four months after reception. The point estimates for summary measures of business health outcomes and support for lockdowns are positive but imprecisely estimated.

What Aspects Support the Welfare of Women Workers in Informal Sector?

The purpose of this research is to know the influence of professionalism and human resource protection on welfare in informal sector female workers in Magelang City. The population in this study was all female informal sector workers in Magelang City. The sample from the study was 487 respondents, with a sampling technique using stratified random sampling. The data collection methods used are observation and questionnaire methods. Data analysis and testing using validity and reliability tests, hypothesis (t) tests, f tests and coefficients of determination with the SPSS 25 program. The results showed that professionalism has a positive effect on welfare, HR protection has a positive effect on welfare and professionalism and HR protection have a simultaneous effect on welfare. The conclusion of this study is proven that professionalism and protection of human resources have a positive role and influence on welfare.

Level of Financial Literacy of Women Informal Sector Workers on Welfare and Professionalisme

Women dominate informal sector workers, as their working hours are irregular and do not require expertise and skills based on specialized formal education. The problem faced by workers is the level of welfare and professionalism that is not optimal. There are still many who live in poverty and do not work wholeheartedly. Likely influenced by low financial literacy. Therefore, this study aims to examine the influence of welfare and professionalism on financial literacy. The Stratified Random Sampling method was used to determine the sample and 487 respondents were obtained. The research data obtained were then processed using multiple linear regression SPSS. The hypothesis testing method uses a significance level of 5%. The results showed that well-being has a simultaneous effect on financial literacy. Professionalism simultaneously affects financial literacy

The Impact of Covid 19 Prevention Measures on Workers in the Informal Economy in Senegal

The informal sector, or informal economy, is a real employment niche and a godsend for young people facing the harsh reality of unemployment and underemployment. However, in senegal, with the covid-19 crisis, this sector, known for its vulnerability, has been further weakened by certain government measures to combat the covid-19 pandemic (introduction of a curfew, closure of schools, markets and other places of business, ban on inter-city transport, etc.). This article, therefore, proposes to analyse the impact of these measures on informal sector enterprises and workers in senegal, particularly in dakar. The results we have obtained, thanks to an exclusively qualitative methodology, show that the application of such measures during the covid revealed an accentuated precariousness of informal work. In addition to having favoured the decline in turnover of informal enterprises, which are also confronted with the problem of indebtedness, they have contributed significantly to the unemployment of employees and other self-employed workers in this sector.

Developing a tool to measure tuberculosis-related stigma in workplaces in Indonesia: An internal validation study

Workers with tuberculosis (TB) are often stigmatized, negatively impacting their socioeconomic position, mental health, and TB treatment outcomes. There is a dearth of validated tools to assess stigma in the worker population. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel, culturally adapted tool to measure TB-related stigma among workers in Indonesia. We translated, adapted, applied, and internally validated Van Rie's TB-Stigma Scale to the worker population in varying sizes businesses (formal and informal business sectors) in Indonesia. Psychometric evaluation using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) was performed to check the tool's internal consistency and reliability. The translation and cultural adaptation phases resulted in a final 11-item tool. From 172 participant responses, the EFA found two loading factors relating to responses on isolation and exclusion from the workplace. The CFA confirmed that the developed model had moderate fit with R2 values for each item ranging from 0.37 to 0.84. The tool was reliable (Cronbach's alpha 0.869). This validated, consistent and reliable adapted tool is ready to use in larger scale evaluations of TB-related stigma amongst workers in formal and informal business sectors of Indonesia to develop strategies to eliminate TB-related stigma from the workplace.

The Effect of Financial Literacy on Participation in the Informal Sector Personal Pension Scheme in Accra, Ghana

The informal sector contributes significantly to the Ghanaian economy. It contributes for more than 71.3 percent to employment creation and 70 percent to GDP in Ghana. However, the sector is the least covered in any form of pension. In addressing this, the government of Ghana introduced the Informal Sector Personal Pension Scheme in 2008 (Act 766), but after more a decade of its introduction, participation of the informal sector workers in the scheme is significantly low and the factors that will enhance increased participation have received little attention. This study sets out to assess the financial literacy of the informal sector workers and investigate whether financial literacy affects the participation of the informal sector workers in the personal pension scheme. This study used a descriptive survey design. Self- administered questionnaires were used to collect primary data of which 420 informal sector workers were sampled and used in the study. The Binary Logit Model was used to determine the probability of the informal sector workers to participate in the personal pension scheme given financial literacy. The study found that financial literacy among the informal sector workers is extremely low. It, was however, revealed that there is significant relationship between financial literacy and participation of the informal sector workers in the personal pension scheme. The policy implications proposed in the study were that the government, the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), and Corporate Trustees should pay particular attention to financial literacy and provide financial literacy education and training for the informal sector workers.

IMPACT OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWN POLICY ON HEALTH AND EDUCATION SERVICE UPTAKE OF WORKERS IN GWAGWALADA, ABUJA, NIGERIA

The study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown policy on the welfare of workers in the formal and informal sectors in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria, during the COVID-19 period using health and education services as case study. The study was motivated by the fact that the outbreak had a negative influence on both formal and informal workers’ well-being; nonetheless, concluding that the lockdown had an equivalent impact on both formal and informal sector workers in Gwagwalada Area Council without an empirical investigation may not have been reasonable enough. Thus, the need for this study to make a comparative analysis between formal and informal sector workers. For empirical purpose, independent two-sample t-test were used to compare perceptions of the two sectors regarding the effects of daily COVID-19 cases and the attendant lockdown stringency measures on health and education services uptake of workers in the two sectors understudy. A survey of 363 respondents was undertaken between the formal and informal workers in Gwagwalada Area Council of Abuja, Nigeria, to examine the effects of the pandemic lockdown policy measures on the uptake of education and health services. The study found that the informal sector workers were more severely affected than the formal sector during the lockdown. To address these challenges, the study recommends, among others, massive loans and grants for business owners with little or no interest rate to cushion the effects of the COVID-19.

Accessibility of Health Insurance among Informal Sector Workers in Dar es Salaam Tanzania: What Are the Barriers?

Accessibility of Health Insurance among Informal Sector Workers in Dar es Salaam Tanzania: What Are the Barriers?

Effects of COVID-19 on coastal livelihoods in the central region of Ghana

The COVID-19 outbreak effects and related state responses, especially mobility restriction interventions, contributed to disruption in livelihoods in the coastal communities in Ghana. This paper uses an ethnographic approach to analyse the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and coping strategies adopted by small-scale fishers, fish traders and processors. We argued that focusing solely on the livelihoods of formal sector workers is problematic because it fails to consider the dynamics of informal coastal workers. Findings indicate that fishers, fish traders and processors experienced various effects on food, income, police harassment, and coping strategies, including migration, resorting to reusable face masks and food-compromising practices. Infectious diseases such as COVID-19 impact coastal people and their livelihoods. Therefore, implementing social protection measures to mitigate the effects of pandemics on livelihoods should be better coordinated and well-targeted to reach the most vulnerable. Findings from this study offer pointers to position preparedness and response efforts to future outbreaks in a similar context.

Impacts of disruptive innovation with the emergence of startups and startup users in the informal sector of Palembang City, Indonesia

This study aimed to explain the impacts of disruptive innovation with the emergence of startups and startup users in the informal sector in Palembang City. It employed a mixed-methods design. In the quantitative part, a questionnaire was used as a tool to collect data from 384 respondents, and statistical analyses in the forms of percentage calculation and cross-tabulations were conducted. In the qualitative method, an interview guide was used to gather data from 16 informants, and the data obtained were analyzed using data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing, and verification. The main results of the study are that the characteristics of startups and startup users within the city’s informal-sector worker population are businesses that rely on existing markets, bootstrapping, and are for profit. In addition, disruptive innovation has positive impacts, namely gaining more experience for startups and increasing revenue for startup users, and both startups and startup users experience no negative impact. The main conclusion drawn from these results is that startups and startup users run the same types of business based on the market used, source of funding, and motivation. Also, they feel different positive impacts of disruptive innovation but share the same experience about the negative impact.