In an era where global economic structures continue to shape the lives of millions, one issue stands out starkly: the informalization of labour. While the world witnesses’ advancements in technology and innovation, a significant portion of the workforce grapples with injustices stemming from informal employment arrangements. ActionAid International Nepal, at the forefront of advocating for social justice, has raised the alarm against this unacceptable trend, calling for urgent action to protect the rights of informal and gig workers.

The impact of informalization is felt most acutely by worker in the informal sectors and specifically women workers. Often relegated to occupations associated with care work, women face heightened vulnerability, limited legal protection, and lower wages. The absence of social protections such as health insurance and maternity leave further exacerbates their plight, perpetuating a cycle of inequality and exploitation. In the ongoing battle against the informalization of labor, ActionAid International Nepal (AAIN) took a significant step forward by launching a national campaign in 2019, led by informal women laborers. This campaign focused on five crucial demands: equal wages, safe workplaces, job security, occupational health and safety, and access to public services to alleviate care work burdens. To amplify the movement on labour rights of informal workers the 16^th edition of World Social Forum (WSF) provides further opportunity to loud out the voices of informal workers from the globe.

The 16th edition of the World Social Forum (WSF) was held in Kathmandu from February 15 to February 19, 2024, under the theme “Another World is Possible." ActionAid International Nepal (AAIN), in collaboration with many other networks and alliances, and social movements organized different advocacy events, demonstration and thematic sessions. With the issue of Informalization of Labour Relation ActionAid International Nepal (AAIN) took a significant step forward adding the emerging issues of gig workers and their rights under informal sectors. The forum provided an opportunity from diverse country, local CSO, Trade Unions, informal & gig workers to come together, collectively raising voices against inequality, injustice and exploitation int the informal labour sector and how informalization of labor has been unjust to the workers & is unacceptable. ActionAid strongly opposes the informalisation of labour which is unjust and challenge to fights against it by bringing diverse experiences, struggles and voices from the global south to support a cause.

On the 17th of February, ActionAid along with its partners alliance Trade Union (GEFONT), informal women Laborers, social movement organisation and Civil Society organisation and AAIN’s local partners organized an advocacy event on “Informalization of Labour is unjust” sharing experiences and voices from Nepal, Belgium, Zambia, Cambodia, Indonesia and Japan. The platform emphasized on the local and global context on the issues of informal workers’ rights, challenges, social security protection practices and way forward to address the issues.

ActionAid along with its allies come with the WSF Solidarity Statement with the key demands:

INFORMALISATION OF LABOUR IS UNJUST

• We demand universal social protection, dignity, safety, and justice for the rights of all informal workers and those in the gig economy. We demand accountability from stakeholders across the supply chain.
• We must guarantee safe and violence free working space for informal workers.
• We demand the freeing of all bonded laborers in agriculture, brick kilns, domestic work, and other sectors and the immediate and just rehabilitation of all freed bonded labour communities.

Signatories & Partners: GFONT, LDC Watch, Trade Unions, AA federation and countries, Informal Women Laborers, LRPs partners

Statement on "INFORMALISATION OF LABOUR IS UNJUST"

• We demand universal social protection. We demand dignity, safety, and justice for the rights of all informal workers and those
in the gig economy. We demand accountability from stakeholders across the supply chain.
• We must guarantee safe and violence free working space for informal workers.
• We demand the freeing of all bonded labourers in agriculture, brick kilns, domestic work, and other sectors and the immediate and just rehabilitation of all freed bonded labour communities

Find our SOLIDARITY STATEMENT FROM ACTIONAID AND ALLIES in the link: 

Solidarity Statement of ActionAid

Links to other Documents :

• Brochure on "Informalization of Labour is Unjust
• Brochure on Gig Economy
• श्रम सम्बन्धि प्रश्न र कानुनी व्यवस्था