Publication: Informal Employment in Argentina : Causes and Consequences
Date
2008-03
ISSN
Published
2008-03
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
This report presents the final results
and conclusions of a two-year program developed by a World
Bank team in Argentina, to analyze the determinants of
informality and its impact on poverty and equity.
Informality in the labor market has become a central concern
for policy makers and the society at large in Argentina. The
long upward trend in informal employment until recent year
has been viewed as a deterioration in working conditions
that is behind the sustained rise in poverty and inequality
in the last quarter of the twentieth century. While some of
the possible causes for the rise in informality have been
studied, their relative importance remains unclear and its
links with poverty and inequality have not been examined in
detail. A primary objective of the program is to deepen the
shared work with the Argentine government and civil society
on socio-economic development and equity issues. The aim has
been to analyze and propose policy options for the labor
market that respond to the Government's priorities, are
technically sound, and provide an open menu for discussion.
The study of informality in the labor market is not an empty
field in Argentina. Many local analysts have studied its
causes and consequences, and this report built on this work.
A key aspect of the program was to draw on the extensive
local analytical studies on the issues and sustain an active
interaction with government counterparts and civil society
through technical workshops, meetings and other outreach
efforts. This report focused on discussing the evolution,
determinants, and policy options to reduce labor informality
in Argentina and its impacts. By developing a common base of
diagnoses with the government, the program set a path for
further discussions and collaborations. Following this
process, the Ministry of Labor has already asked the Bank to
collaborate on a new program that will focus on labor
markets, social protection, and income distribution, looking
for policies that would result in better and more effective
policies to increase equity in Argentina.
Citation
“World Bank. 2008. Informal Employment in Argentina : Causes and Consequences. © Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/7f7850a1-464c-535b-ac1a-abac89bd3dbd License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”