1. Project on Interregional Cooperation on the Measurement of Informal Sector and Informal Employment ESCWA Workshop on Informal Employment and Informal Sector Data Collection: Strategy, Tools and Advocacy for Palestine, Amman 13-15 April 2008 Nadine Shaar ESCWA Statistics Division

2. Informal sector/employment mostly not covered in official statistics Informal sector/employment mostly not covered in official statistics Inadequate information available on contribution of informal sector to economic growth Inadequate information available on contribution of informal sector to economic growth Data collections typically ad hoc studies (i.e. not part of regular national statistical systems) and with limited scope Data collections typically ad hoc studies (i.e. not part of regular national statistical systems) and with limited scope Data collected not internationally comparable Data collected not internationally comparable No time series data available No time series data available Poor analysis and dissemination Poor analysis and dissemination Why?

3. Informal Sector (production): Significant underestimation of the GDPSignificant underestimation of the GDP Lack of info on the characteristics of informal sector enterprises, in the use of technology, access to credit, training, markets, etc.Lack of info on the characteristics of informal sector enterprises, in the use of technology, access to credit, training, markets, etc. Lack of info on input-output relations between formal and informal sector enterprisesLack of info on input-output relations between formal and informal sector enterprises Informal Employment: Implausibly low labor participation rates, especially for womenImplausibly low labor participation rates, especially for women Lack of info on differentials in earnings and working conditions between formal/informal employment (poverty)Lack of info on differentials in earnings and working conditions between formal/informal employment (poverty) Lack of info on different social protection arrangements covering formal/informal employmentLack of info on different social protection arrangements covering formal/informal employment Weaken the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies and programmes aimed at promoting gender equality, eliminating child labour, generating decent work for all and reducing poverty

4. Project Facts Development Account Project: $800,000 Development Account Project: $800,000 Duration: 2006-2009 Duration: 2006-2009 Implementing agencies: ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWA Implementing agencies: ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWA Steering Committee: UNSD, Regional Commissions, ILO, Delhi Group and WIEGO Steering Committee: UNSD, Regional Commissions, ILO, Delhi Group and WIEGO Country Partners: Country Partners: ECLAC : Saint Lucia ECLAC : Saint Lucia ESCAP : Mongolia, Philippines, Sri Lanka ESCAP : Mongolia, Philippines, Sri Lanka ESCWA : Palestine ESCWA : Palestine

5. Project Beneficiaries statistician s Public sector policy makers Researchers Internationa l agencies Private sector

6. Overall Goal: Improve availability of informal sector and informal employment data 1. Raise the awareness among the NSOs & the Governments of developing countries on the importance of collecting & disseminating data on the informal sector 2. Improve technical capacity in the NSOs to collect, compile, analyze & disseminate data on the informal economy in line with international methodological standards 1. Advocacy 2. Capacity building 3. Data collection 4. Data analysis & Dissemination 5. Knowledge management

7. Project Activities 1. Advocacy 2. Statistical capacity building 3. Collection of data 4. Data analysis & dissemination 5. Knowledge management Activitie s

8. Strategy  Partnership approach  Integrated approach  Scope of statistics covered  Range of activities  Adapt the activities to the level of development of the national statistical system  Coordinate with future national and global statistical initiatives  Ensure the consistency with official data sources at national level and with international standards (e.g. revised SNA)

9. Expected Outputs In-country workshop to raise awareness/funding In-country workshop to raise awareness/funding Data on informal employment and informal sector Data on informal employment and informal sector Estimations of the contribution of informal sector to employment and GDP Estimations of the contribution of informal sector to employment and GDP

10. Expected Outputs Country Reports on: Country Reports on: 1-2 survey methodology and its implementation 1-2 survey methodology and its implementation Estimation methodology and estimates of informal employment and employment in the informal sector Estimation methodology and estimates of informal employment and employment in the informal sector Estimation methodology and estimates and NA estimates of informal sector GDP Estimation methodology and estimates and NA estimates of informal sector GDP 1-2 survey data analysis for dissemination 1-2 survey data analysis for dissemination

11. Overall funds for ESCWA $179,000 Overall funds for ESCWA $179,000 Country grant $64,000 Country grant $64,000 Funding

12. Project Timeline Data collection Timeline a) Prepare & customise methodological guidelines on data collection Q2 2008 b) Adopt guidelines & finalize operational plans Q2 2008 c) Data collection by countriesQ2 2008-Q4 2008 d) Prepare & submit final reports on data collection Q1 2009

13. Project Timeline Data analysis & Dissemination Timeline a) Customize guidelines on estimation & analysis & dissemination plan Q3-Q4 2008 b) Preparation of tables, generation of estimates & development of country databases Q1-Q2 2009 c) Analysis & dissemination of country reports, dissemination of results at a country level & integration of country databases in ILO common database Q2-Q4 2009

14. Project Timeline WorkshopsTimeline a) In-country advocacy workshopQ1 2008 b) Regional workshop on the measurement of informal sector and employment Q1 2009 c) Regional workshop on measurement of informal sector GDP Q2 2009 d) Final interregional workshopQ3 2009

15. Thank you! http://www.unescap.org/stat/isie/